Hello again guys! Bluenonoe is back to bring you another chapter of The Secretly Aphrodisiac. Well, to be honest, this week is kind of rough for me and the reasons lie on one thing, campus. Hahahaha! Really they can be such a pain in the a$$ -_-" I want to thank you guys for reading this story, giving reviews, faves, and follows. I really appreciate them. Especially the reviews, faves, and follows that always make me stay enthusiastic writing this story. I hope you have been really taking a liking to my story hehehe. Anyway, let's just jump to the story, shall we? Yes, we shall. Okay, happy reading!
Disclaimer : I don't own anything!
The Secretly Aphrodisiac
Chapter 9
"Miss Scarlet, let's play in our room!", Aiden happily said. "You have homework for tomorrow, right? Let's do that first, then we play.", Erza could see that twins were frowning but soon they are hyped again. "Okay!", the twins said. They started to do the homework, Erza just watching them writing the answers and checking their answers.
"You know, I'm not teaching for tomorrow.", Erza said. "Huh? Why?", Aiden said. "I'm still studying at college too. And I have classes tomorrow.", Erza said. "How is it studying in college?", Ava asked. "It's all good.", Erza lied. It's not that good. I'm working my ass off to get my GPA above 3.5 "As long as you are studying hard, your father should be happy. So, you need to start to study hard from now on.", Erza continued. "We will.", both twins replied with a big smile.
"Papa's late.", Aiden said. Erza looked at her watch and it's already 8. "Is your father always this late?", Erza asked. "Even worse. Papa sometimes stayed at the office and came home the next morning.", Aiden said. "Yeah. It's like his office is his home too.", Ava said while frowning. What an irresponsible jerk! He has his kids at home! Erza ruffled both of the twins' hair.
"Heh… Some children just made their Papa worried sick and here they are.", Erza could feel someone behind her and speaking beside her ear. She also could feel that person's breath. It gave chills to her spine. "W-what a-are you doing?!", Erza pushed the man away. The man with a messy blue hair, a red tattoo on his face, and a pair of onyx eyes laughed at Erza. "I'm home.", Jellal kneeled down and opened his arms to his kids who suddenly ran to him. "We're sorry. We've been bad.", the twins said. "It's alright. I'm sorry too, because I was supposed to pick you up right after school but there's a sudden matter I should take care of.", Jellal replied. "Then we are even.", Ava said. "Yep, we are. Anyway, dinner is ready, you guys go eat.", Jellal let go of the twins embrace and the twins ran downstairs.
Erza just sat there, being quiet, while looking at Jellal. Jellal smiled to her seeing that Erza's blushing. "Why don't you join us? Corrine prepared a feast because you're here.", Jellal said then walked away from her. "You're not going to say sorry?", Jellal stopped hearing what Erza said to him. He turned back and approached her. He was leaning to her and whispered to her ear again, "I'm sorry." Erza blushed harder and Jellal just laughed at her. "C'mon, you must be hungry.", Jellal lent Erza his hand. Erza was hesitant to take his hand. "You want me to carry you to the dining room?", Jellal said while smiling smugly. "N-No!", Erza took Jellal's hand to stand up and then walked together with him to the dining room.
When they arrived at the dining room, Aiden teased the two adults, "What took you both so long? Something happened?", Aiden said with a teasing smile plastered on him. "Apparently, your teacher here-", Erza elbowed Jellal and made him shut, "I-It's nothing. Why don't we just eat already?", Erza said nervously. The whole table agreed, beside Jellal who was chuckling.
After they finished dinner, Aiden and Ava showed their father the chocolates Erza bought for them. "Papa, look! Miss Scarlet bought us these big chocolates.", Ava said. "Oh, really?", Jellal said. "Yeah. Since you always gave us small ones.", Aiden was trying to provoke his father. "I can give you the gigantic one for your birthdays.", Jellal replied. "Do you even know when is our birthday?", Aiden said. "Erm…is it…next-", Jellal was cornered. He looked like he needs help. "It's next month, from now.", Ava nonchalantly said. "Ah! Next month! I just remembered!", both of the twins sighed, including Erza. Jellal, you're seriously the worst. You being a workaholic turns you into this!
"But, we don't want chocolates for our birthday.", Aiden said. "Hmm? So, what is it? Just tell me anything you want.", by that answer, Aiden and Ava smiled and looked at each other. Jellal knew by looking at their expressions, it's not good.
"We want Papa to marry again."
Jellal's eyes widened. And so was Erza.
"With Miss Scarlet."
Both Jellal and Erza were jaw-dropping. They were ultimately shocked by their sudden wish.
"Are you guys being serious? I can't do that…", Jellal said. His children suddenly changed their expressions into something mischief. "Oh? We can report to the media about a big article that was about to be spread last month.", Jellal was being realized again how scary his children can be. "No no no no no, y-you c-can't!", Jellal was in panic. Erza sighed, she knew that their silly proposal cannot be turned down. "I'll speak to your father first, okay?", Erza pulled Jellal's hand and they went outside. The children were jumping because their plan worked.
Jellal and Erza were in the garden. They were walking around the big, tranquil, and beautiful garden. "So, do you have any idea why your children want me so much to be their mother?", Erza said. "To be honest, they are starting to smile so brightly again. We…were much happier than this. But you rekindled our happiness again. I must thank you for that.", Jellal explained.
Erza was quiet because she had so many thoughts about him. She needs to know what happened to him the last 6 years. "6 years already. I want to know what happened to you. From the start, when you suddenly left me at the Spring Prom when we were at high school.", Erza said, glaring to Jellal.
"I lied. When I was in the high school, I was not living with my family at the penthouse. I lived there alone. What I said about me and my family went to places, it's true though. But, I decided that time to separate myself from them, from this mansion. Then, I requested them that I want to go to a public school. I asked them because at that time, I'm still being myself who doesn't want to continue to run the Fernandes Group. I used the reason that if I'm going to a public school, I'm not going to be a coward anymore. But that's not the true reason. I just wanted to go away.
When I was almost escaped, something urgent happened. My father, got really sick when he was doing a business trip, alone, to Caelum. It's his cancer. My butler, Alfred, who was accompanying him there, came all the way to my penthouse. He was ordered by my father to retrieve me back to the mansion. My father opened my eyes to see something that really matters. He said that the Fernandes Group meant for Fiore's prosperity and safety. And that's why we produce such things to provide them.
After giving so much thought, I decided to give myself into the Fernandes Group. My father was glad for my decision, so I work harder for his sake too. He also mentioned that living a life like this, especially being a part of a noble family, enemies will come from anywhere to tear me down. And that's why, I'm keeping myself secret to the whole society of Fiore. Only few and certain people know better about me.
Because of that, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Erza. And to Lucy, Natsu, also Gray. It's just, that I don't want the danger that will be put onto me comes to you all.", Jellal completed his answer to Erza. His answer made Erza speechless, although he lied to his friends, he did it for a greater good. Her silence proved that some of her questions are answered. "I understand. It's being you that you did that and do this.", Erza smiled warmly at Jellal, made Jellal slightly blushed. It's been a long time since the last time he blushed because of Erza. He tried to recover quickly so Erza doesn't see his blush.
"Any other question?", Jellal asked. "About the kids. Did you marry?", Erza bluntly asked. Jellal was startled but then laughed a bit. "I-I'm sorry. I'm being blunt again.", Erza said. "No, it's okay. Well, it was an arranged marriage. Before my father passed away, he proposed me to a daughter of a noble family. The marriage happened when I just enrolled to a college.", Jellal said. "Your father was really desperate to get you a child soon, huh?", Erza replied. "Yeah, he was.", Jellal chuckled.
"Speaking of college, are you already graduated?", Erza asked and made Jellal laughed. "I thought you're not going to ask me that.", Jellal said and then he paused, "Yeah, I already graduated. I managed it in 3 years. Really, it was a hard work. Gaining a high grade point each semester, getting extra credits, leading a student organization, and at the same time, being a chairman of the Fernandes Group, also taking care of my family. Aiden and Ava were born on my first year at college. It was hard at first, but then it's getting really hard when my ex-wife left me with a divorce paper."
And that moment, Erza was beating herself inside her mind. Erza is an idiot, Erza is an idiot, Erza is an idiot! I clicked the wrong button! "I-I'm sorry. I…asked the wrong question, didn't I?", Erza said while inside herself she was panicking. "No, it's okay. I didn't regret it and I'm still don't. I actually didn't love her. She's…just like any other noble who can never be satisfied with their own wealth. So, she's digging more from me. She cares for money not family. While she's still my wife, she helped me with my work. I got more times with my kids. They were really happy with me.
But their mom, just like I said, focused more on work and not to her children. She did bad things that made my children ran to me and cried on my shoulders. Then one day, I noticed something was flawing on the company. We overproduced. The company's revenue was lower to the production's cost. I investigated it and found my ex-wife red handed. She's been selling it to a black market and mostly people there are up to no good, especially with produces from my company. And that's why, I immediately arranged a divorce paper. I can never let a parasite live in my family.
I thought, that she's gone, my family will become happy. You realized it, yes? Me being a workaholic. Sometimes I stayed overnight at my office.", Jellal clenched his fists, "Even I almost forgot their birthdays.". Erza looked at Jellal. He's really worn out and Erza noticed it. She rubbed Jellal's back and Jellal looked at her. "A father like you, wow. You're stressing out like an old man but you're still young. Your blue hair may start to change to hoars.", Erza teased Jellal and that made Jellal laughed. "I'm not that depressed, you know. My kids can make me smile. Even when I critique my co-workers and almost made them cry, it makes me smile also.", Erza was smiling half-heartedly because he was so scary, This man turned into a demon! How could he smiled when he shattered people?! "But, I can smile more brightly now. Because of you.", Erza's eyes widened and she's blushing again. "You're blushing again.", Jellal teased Erza and made Erza pound Jellal's chest lightly several times until Jellal stopped her because it hurts.
"Is there any more question about my past for the last 6 years?", Jellal asked. "I think that's enough for now. And thank you, for telling me. Things are becoming understandable now.", Erza said. "Well, it's getting late. Do you want a ride to your home?", Jellal asked. "O-Oh, no need. I-I can-", Jellal cut Erza's words, "No, you can't. It's because of me you're here until late. Say goodbye to the kids, then let's go.", Jellal insisted and Erza can only give in. Erza nodded in response and they both entered the mansion and went to the twins' room.
They found them already asleep. Erza was struck seeing them because of their cuteness. "Already asleep, huh? It must be a tiring day for them.", Jellal chuckled. "Yeah, they were really having fun at the supermarket, like literally they are new to that place. And they were so hyped showing around the mansion.", Erza replied. "They are being serious, aren't they?", Jellal asked a question that made Erza turned to him. "About…?", Erza was confused but then Jellal arched his eyebrow, making a really-you-don't-know look, made Erza realized, "Oh! That…", Erza chuckled a bit to her embarrassment. "I need some time. It's too overwhelming for me.", Erza said. "Sure, I understand.", Jellal replied. "Wait. Does that mean you agree with them and want to marry me?", Erza was slightly angry to him. "Well, yeah! They about to spread an embarrassing issue to the media about me. They are scary, you know. Playing cards like this.", Jellal sighed. "I knew it. You don't like me, after all!", Erza's anger welled up and she smacked Jellal's head.
"Ouch! I'm kidding! Stop it!", Jellal was trying to stop Erza hitting him and after some time she stopped. Suddenly, Jellal leaned his head closer to her and it was so close to her face, "You know the truth. I like you. I can't deny that. You too, right?", Jellal teased her again and Erza was blushing hard. Jellal laughed to see Erza's expression who changed from being bashful then angry. "But I need more time! Remember? 'I'm not letting you off the hook so easily'", Erza stormed off the room and made Jellal smiled to her.
Jellal noticed that his children were pretending to sleep. "You heard that. What should Papa do?", Jellal tickled the two of them. "Just make her love you.", Aiden and Ava said in unison. Jellal sighed and looked to them, "Why do you want this so bad? I'm going to take Miss Scarlet home. Go to sleep, you have school tomorrow.", the children were frowning but then Jellal kissed their foreheads and made them smile.
That's for this chapter, folks! What do you think of this chapter? Or what do you think of this story this time? Leave a review and any comment, advice, and critique will be truly appreciated. Honest. And give a fave and follow if you like this story. That too will be truly appreciated. I'm sorry for any grammatical errors and I noticed that this chapter is shorter than before, I'm sorry again. Okay then, I should take my leave here and see you at the next chapter! Ja nee~
