Brooke's Priority
Chapter 14's

I dream. It's exquisite.

I clasped Levin's cold hand. He smiled at me. He's very handsome. We spent time together at night. Keeping the hood on, I glanced at her face silently and was caught by her. He laughed and embarrassed me. We bought some food and chatted and saw fireworks. I glanced again at her smiling face looking at the sky filled with the color of fireworks. I think I did something right. She's the end of that dream, she kissed my lips.

I opened my eyes and got up from my sleeping position like a person who was jolted with great shock. I held my heart pounding because the dream felt so real. I dreamed inappropriate (in my opinion).

“I'm still alive,” I said as I checked my hands and feet, got out of bed and rushed off to look for a mirror.

“My back is fine.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh, God. Thank you.”

I can't imagine what would happen if I died a second time. I don't know how many opportunities God has given me to reincarnate. I may not be reincarnated anymore.

“How can I be in my room?”

I try to remember what I did before.

“I was with Levin,” and when I realized it, flashes of my dreams resurfaced. “I kissed,” My face flushed red and I saw that embarrassing face in the mirror. “That's Brooke,” my correction. Even though the one kissing Levin is Brooke (who I believe is his memory) I still can't stop pounding.

When was the last time I kissed?

I'm thinking about it.

There was a noise and I came out of the bathroom. There's Grace, mom, Jane and Reevi, Lucas and Alex (why is this like her own house anyway?).

Mom hugged me when I wanted to say something. I made her cry again.

“Sorry,” I feel unworthy to say it. Since coming to this house, I just made her cry and fall sick. I hope Brooke can forgive me. I just feel awkward because as Shin Yoo Ri, my relationship with my mother is not very good.

I saw Grace put her hands together as if praying to God. Thank you for being okay. Lucas looked at me with an angry face that he had first addressed to me. He really looks angry.

“You are not allowed to go anywhere until your father returns,” mom finally gave the order. “Anyone who helps him go will be punished.”

I'm not surprised to see the firmness of mom. After all she was the Duchess in this region. And his crazy daughter said she couldn't remember why she left that night.

I lied and said I lost my memory again.

“That blood, you also don't know who it belongs to?” A reasonable question to ask me. As I asked what happened, Grace said I was lying at the gate with blood stuck almost all over my clothes.

The one who was struck by the sword was Levin.

I was too busy thinking about kissing Levin's dreams to the point of forgetting what happened to him. I remember him yelling at me and when I looked back, a sword was pointing at me. I fainted after seeing the blood on my hands.

Is she okay?

He worries me.

Three days passed quickly after I was found covered in blood at the gate of my house. Dad came back and listened to that story from mom and she didn't say anything to me. The Haley I thought I was going to ask how I was doing, shut up and looked at me with the same facial expression as Lucas. They're furious.

“When I can get out,” my murmurs slowly.

I feel like a house arrest. I could only stare out the window and hope someone could tell me about Levin's situation. Other than worrying about her, I still haven't gotten an answer from her.

Why did Brooke buy poison?

“What are you thinking until you look like a fool?” ask Alex.

I was having tea with Alex. He always talked to me every day. I don't understand why no one scolded her when she skipped the lesson.

“Good or evil. Which do you think I am?”

“Not both.”

“There's no point in asking you,” I snorted in annoyance.

I feel dilemma. I believe Brooke is a good girl but I didn't expect Brooke to know a hit man. From my analysis, Levin has opened up his identity to Brooke so he said it was easy for me who is now Brooke.

“You think I am?”

Alex agreed.

After three days, I realized that Alex could have a serious discussion.

“I agree with Lucas,” Alex meant to remind me of a conversation where he was just listening to me and Lucas. “Honestly, you have to live in the present. Whatever you think with that head of yours, you must remember to live in the present.”

Alex made me think I looked very worried in their eyes. I also wanted to enjoy my new life, but the shadow of the future scared me.

This is why knowing the future is not entirely good.

“Eat the cake,” Alex points to a piece of tart that he thrust at me. “Enhance so we can argue. Drinking tea with a pretty glass is not your style.”

Then I laughed a little. Alex comforts me in a sweet way. “This is not your style either. Study at academy.”

Alex crossed his arms. “I learned from Lucas only. He hasn't spoken to you yet?”

Lucas just checked if I had eaten and slept. Didn't I run away anywhere. She must have been disappointed in me who left secretly when she once offered to accompany me.

“Wah, creepy when angry. He's a duplicate of your father.”

“You're right. Shouldn't they be hugging me? I don't think out,” I complained. “I feel ignored by them.”

“They are cruel,” Alex folds both hands. “You didn't run away? That's your forte.”

“I want once.”

I'm grateful that Alex doesn't seem to care if I'm being honest or lying about my memory loss.

“Brooke big mouth.”

“Hina only as you like.”

Alex's hobby is to mock me. I miss Grace who is studying with our ethics teacher. Noble women usually received education at home and only men studied at the academy.

“Hei, Alex. When was the last time you kissed?” manya curious.

I'm used to talking to him. He objected because I didn't call him brother but I couldn't call him that.

“You sick?”

“What does it mean if someone kisses your forehead?”

It's not that I don't know the answer. I just want to hear Alex's version of the answer (actually I also want to know Levin's version of the answer).

Still fresh in my memory when Levin kissed me on my forehead. Silly, I don't feel upset anymore about it. I assumed her attitude was natural after dreaming about her and Brooke. I also realized that Brooke doesn't like him more than friends. He still likes the Crown Prince named Carlo. I was pounding as if falling in love with every memory of Carlo spinning around in my head.

The Brooke effect made me able to distinguish it clearly.

“What? Who kissed you?” Alex doesn't fold his hands anymore. “Who is he?”

“I'm just curious.”

“Really out of curiosity?”

Alex looked at me suspiciously. “Good. I'll tell you,” Alex stood up and walked over to me. He lowered his body and put his face in front of my face.

I can hear his breath.

“He is so dear that he wants to hold you longer.”

Alex kissed my forehead.

*****