I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 122: a proposal...?

"Oh my god..."

From where she stood, Mihu’s attention snapped right back to Si Hon, her eyes practically glued to him like she was afraid the scene might change if she blinked.

"No...?"

His voice came out calm and steady, but from her angle, it sounded way more serious than it probably should have been— especially with him still on one knee.

Mihu froze.

Then—

"Yes." Aeloria’s voice came in right after, quick and flustered, completely throwing off whatever Mihu thought was happening.

(No...?)

Her brain stalled for a second, trying to catch up as the two completely opposite answers collided in her head.

"I... I won’t propose right now then..." Si Hon added, just as calm as before, like that somehow made sense.

Mihu blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Her brain stopped.

Completely.

For half a second, everything inside her went blank—like the story she had been building just hit an unexpected turn and she wasn’t emotionally prepared for it.

Then—

A dramatic pause stretched in her mind, far longer than it actually was.

And Si Hon moved.

It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t dramatic— but in Mihu’s eyes, it felt slow, like everything had suddenly started playing out with intent. He lifted the book from behind him, holding it out in front of Aeloria as if it carried far more meaning than it actually should have.

"Then... I’ll just give you this."

Mihu’s hands flew straight to her face again, fingers pressing into her cheeks as her eyes widened even further, her entire body leaning forward like she was about to fall into the scene itself.

(He changed it?!)

(He turned the proposal into a gift scene?!)

Her thoughts spiraled instantly, barely keeping up with what she thought was happening.

And then—

It got worse.

"And... my princess" Si Hon added, his tone barely shifting— just a little more casual, almost like it didn’t matter. "They keep calling you a princess, so this is how I’m supposed to act, right?" She didn’t just hear it.

Her brain filled in the rest.

The confidence.

The timing.

The wink that absolutely did not happen— but might as well have, the way her imagination locked onto it.

Mihu physically trembled, her shoulders shaking as she tried— and failed— to contain whatever this scene had turned into inside her head.

(THIS MAN—)

(HE’S INSANE—)

(I’M WATCHING PEAK!!!!)

"No! What the hell?!" Aeloria’s voice snapped through everything at once, sharp and flustered, completely cutting across the moment— but by then, it was already too late.

The scene, at least in Mihu’s mind, had already reached its peak.

Still, Si Hon didn’t stop there.

Before Aeloria could fully pull herself together, he moved again— calm, steady, like none of this was strange to him at all.

His hand reached for hers, not forceful and not rushed, just deliberate as he gently guided her fingers open. The motion itself was simple, almost careful... but in Mihu’s eyes, it carried far more weight than it should have. It wasn’t just an action.

It felt like intention.

Like it meant something.

Then he placed the book into her palm.

Carefully. Deliberately.

Mihu let out a small, strangled sound, both hands flying up to cover her face completely now, though she still peeked through her fingers like she was watching something she absolutely wasn’t supposed to see— but couldn’t look away from either.

"It actually means something..."

Her voice barely held together, trembling under the sheer pressure of her own imagination as the scene kept escalating in ways she was definitely not prepared for.

And then—

"Please... accept this."

Si Hon’s voice remained calm, almost formal, like he had just completed something important without making a big deal out of it.

"My princess—"

"Stop!"

Aeloria cut him off instantly, her reaction sharp but not clean, like her thoughts were tripping over each other. Her hand snapped shut around the book, gripping it tightly— too tightly— as if that alone would stop everything from escalating any further.

"I know... I’ll take it."

Her voice came out softer than she intended, uneven, caught somewhere between frustration and something far more embarrassing. The blush on her face didn’t fade— it deepened, spreading across her cheeks as she turned her gaze away, unable to meet his eyes properly.

But—

She didn’t give the book back.

Didn’t drop it.

Didn’t step away.

Instead, she held it close to her chest, fingers tightening around it like it mattered more than she was willing to admit. Her expression softened just slightly, lips pressing into a small pout as she looked off to the side, flustered in a way that didn’t quite have a name.

And then— just like that— Si Hon stood up.

Casual. Relaxed. Like none of it had mattered more than a passing moment. The kneeling, the way he offered the book, even calling her that— it all slipped off him like it hadn’t meant anything at all.

Aeloria flinched.

Just a little— but enough.

Her eyes snapped back to him immediately, locking onto his face as if trying to figure out what had just happened, or maybe what it was supposed to mean.

Confusion flickered across her expression, mixing with something else she clearly wasn’t ready to deal with, leaving her stuck there for a second, staring at him like the answer might show up if she looked long enough.

"ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ..."

But it didn’t.

So instead—

She turned.

And her gaze landed directly on Mihu.

Mihu froze.

Completely.

Every thought in her head shut down at once, like someone had pulled the plug mid processing, leaving her standing there with absolutely nothing prepared for this level of direct attention.

"?! Uh— hello...?"

Her voice came out awkward and uneven, caught somewhere between panic and forced composure as she tried— and failed— to act like she hadn’t just witnessed, analyzed, and emotionally invested herself into an entire romance arc that may or may not have existed.

Meanwhile—

Si Hon had already turned back to the shelves.

Like nothing had happened.

Again.