Chapter 90: A Question For Holly
Several minutes passed before either of them made the slightest effort to move.
The room had settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing as it gradually found its rhythm again. David remained where he was, content to simply hold Holly close instead of rushing to pull away. There was something peaceful about the way she rested against him now, all of the earlier tension having melted into quiet contentment.
He found himself watching her for a moment.
A faint smile lingered on her lips, and although her eyes were closed, she looked more relaxed than he’d ever seen her.
Without really thinking about it, David reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face before leaning in to press a soft kiss against her cheek.
Then another.
And another.
Each one earned the smallest twitch of a smile from her, making his own smile grow without him realizing it.
Only after a few more seconds did he pull back enough to look at her properly.
"So?" he asked gently. "How are you feeling?"
Holly slowly opened her eyes.
The moment she met his gaze, the color in her cheeks deepened, and she let out a quiet, almost bashful laugh.
"I’m okay."
Her voice was soft enough that he almost missed it.
"...I really loved it."
David hadn’t realized he’d been waiting for her answer until relief quietly settled over him.
Good.
He wasn’t looking for reassurance because he doubted her. He just... wanted to know she’d been happy. Seeing the warmth in her expression and hearing those words lifted a weight he hadn’t even noticed he was carrying.
"I’m glad," he said with an easy smile.
For another few moments, neither of them spoke.
They simply stayed there, enjoying the quiet that seemed to belong only to them.
Eventually, David shifted slightly, thinking it was probably time to give her some space.
Before he could move very far, he felt a gentle tug on his arm.
He paused and looked down.
Holly wasn’t looking at him. Instead, her fingers had lightly curled around his forearm, stopping him before he’d gotten any farther.
"...Can you stay?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Just... for a little longer."
David blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected request.
Then he looked at her again.
There was no teasing in her expression. No embarrassment strong enough to hide behind a joke.
She simply wanted him close.
The realization softened something inside him.
A warm smile spread across his face as he settled back without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course."
He slipped an arm around her again, drawing her comfortably against him.
Almost immediately, Holly let out the tiniest sigh, the kind that escaped before she could stop it. The corners of her lips lifted, and she unconsciously leaned a little further into his embrace, as though that had been exactly what she’d wanted all along.
Seeing the way she relaxed made David smile to himself.
He’d barely had time to enjoy the moment before a familiar translucent window quietly materialized at the edge of his vision.
[Mission Complete!]
Player has successfully completed the mission: Satisfy Holly Hastings.
Reward Obtained:
×1 A-Rank Skill
David’s eyes flicked toward the notification.
An A-Rank skill...
His heartbeat quickened ever so slightly.
Depending on what it was, it could become one of the most valuable abilities in his arsenal. His curiosity urged him to open it immediately.
But as that thought crossed his mind, he felt Holly unconsciously nestle a little closer against him.
His attention shifted back to her.
She looked completely at peace.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
The notification quietly disappeared with a thought.
Whatever ability he’d just earned...
It wasn’t going anywhere.
For now, he was far more interested in the girl resting comfortably in his arms.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence lingered between them, easy and unforced, until Holly’s fingertips began absentmindedly drifting across his chest, tracing slow, aimless patterns as though her thoughts had finally found the courage to catch up with her heart.
Holly didn’t seem to realize what she was doing.
Her fingertips continued their slow journey across his chest, drawing invisible lines that disappeared as quickly as they were made. Sometimes they circled aimlessly. Sometimes they paused, only to start again somewhere else. It was almost absentminded, as though her hands had found something to do while she searched for the right words.
David watched her in silence.
He wondered what could possibly be occupying her thoughts so deeply.
Then, without looking up, Holly spoke.
"...David."
"Hm?"
Her finger stopped moving for a brief moment before resuming its slow tracing.
"I don’t understand what you do to me."
David’s brow lifted slightly.
"What do you mean?"
She let out a tiny breath that sounded halfway between a sigh and an embarrassed laugh.
"I don’t really know how to explain it."
Her eyes remained fixed on the small patterns she was drawing against his chest, as though looking at him would make it even harder to say.
"It’s just..."
She hesitated.
"...Whenever I’m around you..."
Another pause.
"...my chest starts feeling strange."
David stayed quiet, letting her find the words instead of rushing her.
"It isn’t painful," she quickly added, shaking her head. "Not really."
Her lips curved into a shy smile.
"It just... aches."
She lightly pressed her palm against the center of her chest, almost as if trying to describe the feeling physically.
"A nice kind of ache."
"It makes me want to stay close to you."
"And when you’re not around..."
She let out another small laugh.
"...I end up wondering what you’re doing."
Finally, she gathered enough courage to lift her head.
Their eyes met.
"I’ve never felt like that before."
For a second, David simply looked at her.
Then the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.
He knew exactly what she meant.
Because he’d been trying to ignore that same feeling for days.
"I thought I was the only one."
Holly blinked.
"What?"
David let out a quiet chuckle before shaking his head.
"I know that feeling."
His hand instinctively found hers, gently stopping the nervous circles she had been drawing.
"I’ve been feeling it too."
She stared at him, almost afraid to breathe.
David looked into her eyes, no longer feeling any reason to hide behind jokes or half-truths.
"I like you, Holly."
The words came out simply.
Without hesitation.
Without uncertainty.
For a heartbeat, Holly just stared at him.
Her lips parted ever so slightly.
"You..."
A look of complete surprise spread across her face.
"...You like me?"
David couldn’t help but laugh.
It wasn’t because her question was funny.
It was because of the way she was looking at him, as though she’d just heard him say the sky was green.
"What?" he asked, a grin tugging at his lips. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Holly blinked.
Then blinked again.
"...You’re serious?"
David reached over and lightly flicked her forehead.
"Ow."
"What kind of question is that?" he said, laughing. "Of course I’m serious."
She rubbed her forehead, still staring at him suspiciously.
"...You’re not messing with me?"
"Would I pick now to start?"
"I don’t know." She narrowed her eyes. "You’re kind of annoying."
"Oh?" David raised an eyebrow. "I’m annoying?"
"A little."
"And yet..." He smiled, unable to resist. "You still like me."
Holly immediately buried her face against his chest.
"...Don’t ruin the moment."
David laughed again, softer this time.
The sound eased something inside him.
"I mean it, Holly."
His teasing faded just enough for her to hear the sincerity underneath.
"I like you."
She slowly lifted her head again.
"...Really?"
There wasn’t disbelief in her voice anymore.
Just hope.
David nodded without the slightest hesitation.
"Really."
A smile escaped her before she could stop it.
She tried hiding it by looking away, but the warmth spreading across her face betrayed her completely.
For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.
They didn’t need to.
The silence somehow said more than either of them could.
Eventually, Holly let out a small breath.
"...Can I ask you something?"
David smiled.
"You just did."
She pinched his side.
"Ow."
"I’m being serious."
"...Right. Sorry."
She hesitated again, absentmindedly drawing another small circle across his chest.
"If..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"If we both feel like this..."
She finally looked at him.
"...then why haven’t you asked me to be your girlfriend?"
David frowned.
"...Huh."
"No, don’t ’huh’ me."
"I’m not ’huh’-ing you."
"You literally just did."
He blinked once before realization slowly spread across his face.
"...Oh."
Holly folded her arms, trying—and failing—to look offended.
"You forgot, didn’t you?"
David let out an embarrassed laugh.
"...I may have."
"You may have?"
"I definitely did."
She stared at him for another second before letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"Unbelievable."
David scratched the back of his neck.
"In my defense..."
"There isn’t one."
"There really isn’t."
That earned him the tiniest laugh.
"There we go," he said, pointing at her triumphantly. "I knew you’d forgive me."
"I didn’t say that."
"You laughed."
"I regret laughing."
"You smiled too."
"I regret that as well."
David chuckled.
"I don’t believe you."
She huffed dramatically before hiding her face against his shoulder again.
"...You’re impossible."
"Maybe."
He slipped an arm around her a little tighter.
"But you still haven’t answered my question."
She peeked up at him.
"What question?"
A smile slowly replaced the teasing in David’s expression. The joking disappeared entirely.
"Holly." His voice softened. "Will you be my girlfriend?"