My Fiancée Hates Me
Chapter 106: Lover Nicknames

"It seems that you two made up," Charlotte said.

I could see her peeking through the gap in the door along with Grace. I quickly pushed Garett away.

"W-Were you two listening?" I asked in a fluster.

How long have they been watching us?

"We just got here and saw that you two were hugging. Wait to go, Romeo," Charlotte said as she slapped Garett's back.

"Peeking is such a nasty hobby, Charlotte Castile. I also expected better of you as well, Grace Elsie," Garett said with an irritated expression.

"My apologies in not being able to stop her from peeking," Grace said.

"When will you stop referring us by our full names? I suppose that only Arielle is special?" Charlotte asked.

"Of course, Arielle is special!" Garett shouted.

I blushed when I heard Garett said something so sweet.

"We are going to leave you some fruit before we go. Get better soon," Charlotte said as she left a basket of fruit on the table and left with Grace in tow.

I am alone again with Garett.

Garett showed me his fabulous knife skills and decided to make rabbits out of apple slices.

"Since when were you such an artist?" I asked.

"Just recently," Garett said as he stabbed an apple slice with a fork and placed it near my lips.

I opened my mouth and took a bite. The sweetness enveloped my tastebuds and left a citric aftertaste.

"Why rabbits?" I asked.

"I thought you liked them since we went to that rabbit theme park before..."

"Charlotte is the one who likes rabbits more. I actually prefer bears more...Are you going to practice making bear shaped food for me?" I asked. Garett's eyebrows scrunched together along with his entire became a bright red color.

"...Sorry for being such a simple man," Garett said.

I let out a small chuckle.

I soon heard a knock on the door.

"Please come in," I said.

It was Erik who walked in with a bouquet of peonies in his hands. He seemed to scoff at Garett for a moment.

"What a simple man...I brought you your favorite flowers, Ari," Erik said as he handed me the bouquet.

"Thank you for the flowers, Your Highness. They are lovely," I said as I took them from him.

"I will go out to get water for the flowers," Garett said as he went outside with an empty vase.

"He sure is confident if he thinks that I cannot steal you back," Erik said.

"I do not think he has much to worry about," I said confidently.

"...Did you tell him everything?" Erik asked.

"Yes, and he accepted everything...even the things I hated about myself," I said.

"Half of your suffering is my fault. If only..."

"Erik, I will be fine from now on," I said with a smile.

"...Are you fine with being with a simple man like him?" Erik asked.

"Yes...He cannot be replaced by anyone else. Also, I happen to like simple gestures," I answered with a smile.

"...I hope that you can be happy from now on, Ari," Erik said.

"I hope for the same with you too, Erik," I said.

"When you cannot stand his grumpy face anymore, my arms are always open," Erik said as he made his exit. Garett came back not long afterwards.

"What did you two talk about?" Garett asked as he took the bouquet from me and placed them in the vase. "...He asked me if I was bored with you," I said.

"Why would be ask that?" Garett asked.

"He said that should I get bored with you, he would accept me with open arms," I answered.

"...Are you bored with me yet?" Garett asked.

I smiled brightly.

"It would not hurt to be more interesting," I said teasingly.

"What a burdensome task," Garett said as he sat beside me. "Now, how should I be more entertaining to you?" Huh?

What a surprise to see Garett being at my mercy...he seems to be really afraid that I might leave him for Erik. "Why do you go so far for me every time?" I asked.

"I love you. Is there any other reason I need to make you happy?" Garett asked bluntly.

If he is going to be like this, I just might become a bad person...

"Let me pet you for a bit," I suggested.

"Pet? Am I an animal to you?" Garett asked.

Maybe a grumpy cat...

"Is that a no?" I asked.

"...Do whatever you want," Garett said.

I took off his glasses and began by patting his soft black hair over his head and then lightly running my hands around his ears and chin. His eyes seemed to quiver a bit.

I wanted to kiss his lips but went for the space between his eyebrows.

"If you keep, scrunching them up, they will stay that way one day," I said teasingly.

"I will try my best not to..."

He still had a displeased expression on his face for some reason.

"Are you angry about something?" I asked.

"... You still seem close with that Prince. He called you Ari so familiarly," Garett said with a sulky face.

I was once married to Erik, so the nickname was used quite often when we were together.

"Then, please call me whatever you would like," I said.

"....Then, I would like to call you Ira," Garett said after thinking long and hard about my nickname.

Ira was my middle name that I had only told close friends and relatives, so it was not a name that was used often. People also occasionally tell them to their lovers. Even though Erik knew my middle name, he preferred using the nickname Ari because he had used it since childhood. When I heard Garett say my middle name, it seemed as if flowers had bloomed in my heart.

"...Please continue to call me by that name," I said with a smile.

"Ira..."

"Yes?"

"Is there a name you would like to call me?" Garett asked.

From his expression, I could tell that he really wanted to call him by a nickname...

"Is there a particular nickname you have been called by?" I asked.

"...Grumpy Cat?" Garett said with a deflated expression.

It suits him so well...

I turned my head for a moment and let out a laugh in my hand before turning back and returning to my normal facade.

"Can you tell me your middle name?" I asked.

"It's Kire," Garett answered.

...Was that an anagram of Erik's name?

"How about Dear? Darling?" I suggested.

Garett seemed to keel over in embarrassment.

This shy boy...

"...Those are such embarrassing names," Garett said as he sat straight back up.

"Those are the standard nicknames between lovers [according to the Love Expert Charlotte]," I said excitedly.

"The first one then," Garett said with an exasperated expression.

"You are quite shameless," I said teasingly.

".... You are turning into a second Charlotte Castile," Garett said as he scrunched his eyebrows.

"Not 'you', Ira," I said shamelessly.

"Ira, you are turning shameless," Garett said.

"Mr. Grumpy Cat," I said with a smile.

"...You are never going to forget that nickname, are you?" Garett asked.

"Never again," I replied.☐☐☐