Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 182 182: Iris's Secret

Electra's POV

After dinner, I turned my attention to Iris, remembering that she had mentioned that she wanted to talk.

"Hey," I said casually, "why don't we take a walk? You wanted to talk earlier, right?"

Her face brightened with relief, and she nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'd like that."

She grabbed her jacket, and we stepped outside, and I waited for Iris to speak, but when she didn't, I decided to break the silence.

"So, by any chance, does what you want to talk about have anything to do with what happened this morning?" I asked, glancing at her. "Because if it is, I'd love to know if you've remembered anything that might explain how we ended up… well, you know, naked and in the middle of nowhere."

Iris immediately shook her head, her expression one of genuine frustration. "No," she admitted. "My memory's still blank. I've been trying to piece it together all day, but nothing's coming to me."

She sighed, shoving her hands into her jacket. "That's part of why I wanted to talk to you, though. Earlier, in the room… I overreacted. I got so emotional, and I probably made you feel terrible, even though none of this was your fault."

I stopped walking and turned to face her, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Iris, if you called me out here just to apologize, you really don't have to. I mean it."

Her brows furrowed slightly. "But—"

"No buts," I interrupted, waving my hand dismissively. "Look, if I woke up naked in the middle of nowhere, next to someone I barely knew, and there was even the slightest chance that my first time was with them and I couldn't remember it? Yeah, I'd freak out too."

She let out a small laugh at that, and some of the tension in her shoulders seemed to ease. "You're taking this way better than I expected."

I shrugged. "I figured one of us has to stay calm, right? Might as well be me."

We resumed walking, and I could tell Iris wasn't done talking, though. Her gaze flickered to me every few moments, like she was trying to gather the courage to say something else.

"So," I said, turning my head slightly to glance at her, "is there something else that you want to say to me, or did you just call me out to apologize?"

Iris sighed before responding. "Honestly," she began, "I initially just wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier, but since we're talking now, and I've already apologized… I guess there's something else I need to say."

She stopped walking suddenly, and I did the same, looking at her with curiosity. Her nervousness was obvious, and I found myself leaning in slightly, intrigued.

"Okay," I said, urging her to continue, "what is it?"

Iris took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling dramatically, and then cleared her throat. She looked up at me, her blue eyes meeting mine with an intensity I hadn't expected.

"Electra," she started, her voice faltering for just a second before steadying again, "do you… do you have a crush on me?"

Iris's question threw me off in a way I hadn't expected. Of all the things I thought she might bring up, this wasn't even remotely on the list.

For a few seconds, I could only stare at her, feeling my mouth slightly open in shock, but no words coming out. She looked equally flustered, like she wanted to melt into the floor and disappear.

She quickly cleared her throat, clearly regretting what she'd said. "I—I'm sorry if I crossed a line. I just thought—well, you know how Yuna is. She keeps teasing and dropping hints, and I just assumed. I really didn't mean to—"

"No, no," I interrupted, snapping out of my stunned state. I shook my head, running a hand through my hair in exasperation. "You didn't cross a line. It's just... I wasn't expecting that question, that's all."

Iris bit her lip nervously and looked away, clearly embarrassed. I could tell her hands were fidgeting even from inside the jacket, and for a second, I actually felt bad for her.

It was obvious she wasn't trying to accuse me of anything, and she was genuinely just seeking clarity, thanks to Yuna's meddling.

"So," I began cautiously, "what exactly did Yuna say to make you think that?"

Iris glanced at me hesitantly before speaking. "She didn't say it outright, but it's how she talks about you—like she knows something I don't. She keeps teasing me about how you're always looking out for me and how... I don't know; she makes it sound like you're interested."

I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might stay that way. Of course Yuna was behind this. Leave it to her to create unnecessary chaos.

"Iris," I said, keeping my tone calm, "Yuna is just being Yuna. She loves to tease people and make situations more dramatic than they really are. I can assure you that I don't have a crush on you."

I could see the instant relief on Iris's face, but then she tilted her head slightly, as though she was trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. Her gaze was searching, and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable—like I was under a microscope.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice soft but hesitant, as if she wasn't entirely convinced.

I let out a small laugh, though it was more out of disbelief than humor. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't get me wrong—you're a nice person, and I'm glad we've been able to talk more as friends, but I don't see you that way."

She nodded slowly, processing my words. "Okay," she finally said, her tone soft. "Thanks for being honest. I just... I didn't want to assume anything, you know?"

"Trust me, I get it," I replied, my tone lighter now. "Yuna has a way of putting ideas in people's heads, but seriously, you don't need to worry about that with me, and I'm also quite happy to know now that you also don't see me that way."

Iris furrowed her brows, her confusion evident. "Wait, are you saying you actually thought I had a crush on you?"

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I won't lie. The thought did cross my mind once or twice, but hey," I added quickly, "I'm glad that's not the case. It'd just make things... unnecessarily complicated."

Iris chuckled softly. "Well, you can put your mind at ease even more because I definitely don't like you or any other girl here in that way. In fact, I like boys."

She paused for dramatic effect before adding, "And I also have a boyfriend."

My eyes widened, and I blurted out, "Wait—what? Are you serious?"

Iris nodded, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Completely serious. You may not know him since you're not from Elmeria, but his name is Hunter, and he's a prince here," she added excitedly, and my mind immediately went blank as soon as I heard her mention the name Hunter and the word prince.

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