Chapter 16 – The Language of Love (and Contracts)
I pulled out the documents and placed my briefcase down. Sitting up straight, I looked Herace in the eye with the most serious expression I’d ever worn.
It was time to go over every single detail of our fake dating contract.
“Article 1. Purpose.”
“While we are dating, our top priorities are:
- Restoring the honor and reputation of Philena Light through mutual cooperation,
- Satisfying Herace Gray’s sense of ‘fun.’
We agreed to use romance novels as a reference, but we understand situations may change, so we’ll adjust as needed. However, neither party is allowed to do anything that makes the other uncomfortable just because it’s a contract.”
Herace crossed his legs and nodded, his eyes locked on mine. I continued with the most important question:
“Today, we need to clearly define what ‘fun’ means for Herace.”
“Hmm, ‘fun,’ huh? Can that even be measured?”
“I understand that emotions can be vague and hard to define with logic. But since this is a contractual relationship, we have to talk it through. I can’t let this go.”
“If my girlfriend says so, I’ll play along,” Herace replied, resting his chin on his hand as if it were no big deal. A moment ago, he was acting like it couldn’t be measured. You never know what direction he’ll go next. That’s why we had to document everything in writing.
“I already thought about it and wrote down some things that might define what’s ‘fun’ for you.”
“Ooh, now I’m curious.”
Herace’s lips curled into a cool smile.
“Well? Don’t just stare at me. Aren’t you going to tell me?”
“Silence builds suspense,” I said, chuckling softly. Then I cleared my throat.
When finalizing a contract, it’s best not to show emotions. That way, you won’t be taken advantage of, and you’ll get what you want.
I handed one of the papers to Herace. When he tried to turn it so we could share, I stopped him.
“I prepared a copy for you. Don’t worry.”
Herace’s lower lip stuck out a little as he dropped his gaze. Maybe I looked intimidating? Good. That’s what I was going for.
“Herace, I don’t know if you’ve heard of this, but humans have something called ‘Love Languages.’”
“Love languages? That’s new to me.”
In my previous life, I was really interested in human psychology. I even recommended love language tests to others.
The paper in front of Herace was exactly that—a love language test. I’d taken it many times, so I already knew my results. Now it was Herace’s turn.
He scanned the test, spinning his quill, then asked:
“Could you explain these ‘love languages’ in more detail, Philena?”
Instead of answering right away, I pointed at the first part of his test.
“The first love language is Words of Affirmation.
That means people who feel loved when they’re told things like ‘I love you,’ ‘You did well,’ or ‘You’re the only one for me.’ It doesn’t have to be spoken—it can be written in letters too.”
“Really? I love you, Philena,” Herace said with a casual grin.
“Thank you, Philena. You’re the only one for me. I wouldn’t be who I am without you.”
His red eyes reminded me of Whisler’s, but somehow they felt different. Whisler never made me feel anything—but sometimes, when I looked at Herace, time felt like it stopped.
Maybe it was just because their colors were slightly different, and I wasn’t used to the subtle difference. Still… his eyes were beautiful. So was he—
“Philena? What are you thinking? You’ve got a weird expression.”
“Oh—right. Moving on to the second love language. It’s Quality Time.
It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, just spending focused time together makes people feel loved.”
“I’m okay with giving all my time to Philena.”
“Uh—okay. Third love language is Gifts.
It’s not just about buying things—it’s about the thought and effort behind the gift. People who value this feel love from the process, the wrapping, the intention.”
I sneaked a look at Herace’s answers. He’d already finished. I sped up my explanation.
“Before they choose a gift, they think of the other person. Then they take time to find it, wrap it, and give it with care. It becomes a whole journey of love.”
“I could buy Philena anything.”
“I already said it’s not just about money.”
“Isn’t it more important that I think about it?”
Herace didn’t even look up as he scribbled on the test.
“I’m already always thinking about my girlfriend.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Do you know what makes the impossible possible?”
Before I could answer, he smiled and said:
“Love, Philena.”
Then he pushed his test toward me, asking me to check it.
He’d already finished?! It took me 30 minutes the first time I did it!
For a moment, I doubted if he even took it seriously. But before I could call him out, Herace spoke:
“The fourth love language is Acts of Service. That means doing things for someone, right?”
Oh. He really did read the whole thing. That phrase was at the bottom of the test sheet—he even read the footnotes.
“Yes, like helping me when I struggle with writing these documents, or doing chores if I’m overwhelmed. Voluntarily helping me shows love.”
“That’s what I’m doing now.”
“Huh?”
“This whole play—we’re doing it because you’re having a hard time in society. I’m helping you build your reputation.”
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t count.”
“Right… because it’s a contract.”
I nodded firmly. Then Herace brought up the last love language.
“The fifth one is Physical Touch, right?”
“Yes. It’s about showing affection through touch—holding hands, kissing, sleeping together—with mutual consent, of course.”
“That’s mine,” he said, tapping the back of my hand. Then he lightly rubbed it like a cat.
“My love language might be physical touch.”
As soon as he said it, his fingers slipped between mine, playfully touching each part.
I thought about pulling my hand away, but I wasn’t uncomfortable, so I focused on analyzing his test results. Meanwhile, he drummed on my hand like a piano.
“Wrong,” I said at last. “Love languages aren’t just one thing. Everyone has a ranked list.”
I handed him the sheet with his results:
“Herace’s Love Languages:
- Quality Time
- Acts of Service
- Physical Touch
- Words of Affirmation
- Gifts”
“And yours?” he asked.
“Mine are:
- Quality Time
- Gifts (almost tied for 1st)
- Words of Affirmation
- Acts of Service
- Physical Touch.”
“Huh. We’re pretty different.”
“That’s okay. I’m just explaining my rankings so you understand why I’m not very used to physical touch and get surprised sometimes. But what’s important here is your results. I did this to figure out what makes things fun for you.”
