Chapter 34 : Confession(Bonus Chapter)

As Nico carried her on his back, his footsteps steady against the pavement, he sighed and asked, "So, why did you have to wear heels today of all days? We were going for a walk." 

Maria, resting her chin lightly on his shoulder, gave the same answer as before, "Because it looks good on me." 

Nico exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly but not saying anything more. 

A few moments of comfortable silence passed before Maria spoke again. "You didn't really want to come out today, did you?" 

Nico raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?" 

She chuckled softly. "I can tell." 

Nico thought about it for a second before answering simply, "Then why did I come?" 

"Yeah," Maria said, tilting her head slightly to the side. 

He shrugged as he adjusted his grip on her legs. "I like spending time with you." His voice was nonchalant, as if it wasn't a big deal, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "And I had fun today." He then smirked. "Except for this part where I'm carrying you back." 

Maria lightly punched the side of his face. "Idiot." 

Nico just chuckled, unfazed, as he continued walking.

Maria remained quiet for a few moments before suddenly asking, "Do you have a crush on anyone?"

Nico blinked at the unexpected question but answered casually, "Not really. I haven't really spoken to many girls." He adjusted his grip on her legs as he continued, "I've talked to a few when I went out with my grandpa to some events, but I could tell they were only talking to me because my grandfather was Johan Cruyff." He exhaled lightly. "So no, I haven't had any crushes."

Curious, he glanced slightly to the side and asked, "What about you? Do you have one?"

Maria hesitated for just a second before answering, "I do."

Nico grinned. "Wow, he must be lucky."

Maria felt her heartbeat quicken at his words, but she kept her expression neutral. Instead, she tilted her head slightly and asked, "Why do you think that?" 

Nico, still carrying her on his back, answered naturally, "Because you're kind. You care for the people you like. You have a good personality…" He paused for a moment before adding, "And you look beautiful. So yeah, he must be lucky." 

Maria's breath hitched slightly, and she was glad he couldn't see her face. She tightened her arms around his neck just a little, hiding her expression as a small smile formed on her lips.

_________

Maria bit her lip, debating whether she should really go this far with her teasing. But seeing how genuinely curious Nico looked—even if he couldn't see her face—made her continue.

"My crush is a Manchester City footballer," she admitted.

Nico nearly stopped in his tracks. "Wait, what? A City player?" he asked, shocked. "C'mon now, I have to break it down and figure out who it is."

Maria chuckled at his reaction, resting her chin lightly on his shoulder. "Go ahead," she encouraged.

"Alright, first clue—does he play in the starting eleven?"

She smirked. "Yes."

Nico narrowed his eyes. "Okay… I didn't know you liked older men."

Maria groaned. "Idiot," she muttered, shaking her head at how oblivious he was.

Nico ignored her insult, too focused on the mystery. "Fine, fine. What's his position?"

Maria clicked her tongue. "You might as well just ask for his name at this point."

Nico scoffed. "C'mon, tell me his position."

Maria finally answered, "He plays as an attacking midfielder… and sometimes on the wing."

Nico hummed in thought, completely unaware of Maria's amused expression behind him.

_______________

Nico furrowed his brows, running through the squad in his mind. He thought of all the attacking midfielders at City—De Bruyne, Silva, Nasri… But none of them regularly played on the wing. 

Then it hit him. 

"Wait a minute," he muttered, his voice slowing down as the realization crept in. "I think… I'm the only one who plays as both an attacking midfielder and a winger." 

Silence. 

His steps slowed, his heart suddenly beating a little faster. 

Then, finally, realisation fully dawned on him. 

His breath hitched as he asked, almost hesitantly, "Maria… do you like me?" 

She didn't answer immediately. 

For a few seconds, there was nothing but the sound of the city around them, the faint hum of passing cars, the distant chatter of pedestrians. 

Then, softly, she whispered, "Yes."

Nico's mind went blank for a moment. He felt Maria's arms still wrapped around his neck, her warmth against his back, but his thoughts were all over the place. 

He waited a few seconds, unsure of how to react, before finally asking, his voice quieter than before, 

"…Why me?" 

Nico barely had time to react before Maria lightly punched him on the face again. 

"Idiot," she muttered before answering. 

"Because you're kind to everyone. You like taking care of the people you love. I can sometimes see that you're tired after matches, but you still feed Val every day and teach Marius. You're always so down to earth, no matter how well you perform. You're hardworking… and you take care of me." 

Her voice was softer toward the end, and Nico could feel her grip around his shoulders tighten just a little.

Nico took a deep breath, his mind racing. He had never really thought about relationships before, let alone someone liking him in this way. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke. 

"Maria… I really don't know what to say. I've only ever felt genuine warmth from my grandparents, a few of my coaches, a few teammates, and your family. I don't really know if I'm ready for a relationship yet." 

He paused before continuing, choosing his words carefully. 

"And also, I'll tell you this—I'm kind to you because I'm kind to everyone. It's just my nature. I know it sounds like I'm praising myself, but it's the truth." 

He then turned his head slightly, trying to look at her. 

"So… do you really like me?"

Maria tightened her arms around his neck slightly, resting her chin on his shoulder. She stayed silent for a moment before answering softly, 

"I do." 

Her voice was quieter than before, but there was no hesitation. 

"I know you're kind to everyone, but it still feels different with me," she continued. "Maybe it's just me being selfish, but I've never felt this way about anyone before." 

She exhaled, then spoke again, her voice steady. 

"I'm not telling you this because I expect you to give me an answer right now, Nico. I just… I wanted you to know."

Nico was silent for a few seconds before finally answering. 

"I like you too, Maria," he said, his voice calm but firm. 

Maria's eyes widened slightly. "Really? You're not just saying this because you feel bad about saying no to me?" 

Nico shook his head. "No, I genuinely like you. I enjoy talking with you, spending time with you. I might not have shown it much, but… yeah, I like you." 

Maria was silent for a moment before a small smile crept onto her face. She tightened her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"Okay," she whispered.

Nico frowned slightly. "What do you mean 'okay'?" 

Maria lifted her head slightly, looking at him with a playful smile. "What else was I supposed to say?" 

"I don't know," Nico admitted. 

"Exactly," Maria said smugly. "So shut up and walk faster." 

Nico scoffed. "Wow, you're already showing your evil side now that I've admitted I like you." 

Maria just giggled, resting her head back on his shoulder as they finally reached the house. Nico pressed the doorbell, waiting for someone to open the door.

_________

Christina opened the door, immediately noticing Maria on Nico's back and the exhaustion on his face. Her brows furrowed in concern. "What happened?" 

Nico, still catching his breath, shook his head. "I'm too exhausted to tell the whole story right now." 

Without another word, he stepped inside, gently setting Maria down on the couch. She winced slightly as she adjusted her ankle, and Christina knelt beside her to check on her. 

Meanwhile, Nico walked over to the dining area, where the meal from the nutritionist was placed. He picked it up, not even glancing at anyone, and headed straight upstairs. The moment he reached his room, he shut the door behind him, exhaling deeply as he finally got some rest.

________

As Nico disappeared up the stairs, Christina turned her attention back to Maria, her concern evident. "Alright, now tell me—what happened?"

By now, Marius and Valentina had also gathered around, listening intently.

Maria sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I sprained my ankle while climbing some stairs… Nico bandaged it and carried me all the way back home."

Marius raised an eyebrow. "Wait—how long was he carrying you?"

Maria sighed again, rubbing her temple. "For an hour and a half."

Christina crossed her arms, glancing toward the staircase where Nico had just disappeared. "No wonder he looked completely drained," she muttered. "Carrying you for an hour and a half? In this cold?"

Maria exhaled deeply, stretching her legs carefully on the couch. "Yeah… He even went to buy a compression bandage and pain relief spray for me. And—" she hesitated for a moment, a small smile forming on her lips, "he packed a woolen jacket and hot water in his bag because he knew I'd get cold."

Valentina, who had been quietly listening, suddenly grinned. "That's so like Nico! He always takes care of everyone."

Marius nodded in agreement, but then narrowed his eyes at Maria. "Wait a second… If he knew you'd get cold, that means he also knew you'd be reckless."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, Marius."

Christina let out a small chuckle but then looked at Maria seriously. "Well, at least he got you home safely. But you need to be more careful. Nico has enough on his plate without having to carry you all the way across Manchester next time."

Maria just smiled to herself, pulling the woolen jacket he had given her closer around her shoulders. "Yeah, I know…"

_____________

At the dining table, the family sat down to eat, but there was an empty chair where Nico usually sat. Valentina, resting her chin on her hand, pouted dramatically as she pushed her food around her plate with her fork. 

"This is all your fault, Maria," she grumbled, turning to her older sister with a glare. 

Maria raised an eyebrow, taking a bite of her food. "My fault? What did I do now?" 

Valentina huffed. "Because of you, Nico isn't feeding me today! He always feeds me after his matches, and now he's too tired because he had to carry you for so long!" 

Marius chuckled, shaking his head. "Wow, Val. You make it sound like Maria stole your personal chef." 

"But he is!" Valentina insisted, crossing her arms. "He always makes sure I eat properly, and now he's not even here!" 

Christina smiled as she listened to the conversation, amused by how much Valentina adored Nico. "Well, Val, you can eat by yourself just for today. Nico carried your sister across half the city—he deserves to rest." 

Valentina let out a long sigh, clearly not satisfied. "Fine… but Maria, you owe me. Next time, don't be reckless and make my Nico tired." 

Maria nearly choked on her food. "Your Nico?" 

"Yes! My Nico!" Valentina declared proudly, lifting her chin. "He takes care of me, so he's mine." 

Marius shook his head in amusement. "You're lucky he actually likes you, Val." 

Maria just rolled her eyes and continued eating, though a small smile tugged at her lips.

________

Guardiola had been quietly watching the playful interaction between his children, a small smile forming on his face. He admired how close they all were, especially how much Nico had become a part of their family. But then, with a glint of amusement in his eyes, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

He tapped the screen a few times before turning it toward Maria, revealing a very familiar video—one she had uploaded just a while ago.

It was the clip of Nico eating dessert for the first time in six years. His reaction was priceless—his eyes widened in shock, and then, much to everyone's surprise, he covered his mouth as tears welled up in his eyes. The caption she had posted along with the video read:

"Nico eating dessert after 6 years. 😂🍰"

Maria froze, mid-bite.

Guardiola arched an eyebrow at her. "Care to explain what this is?"

Marius and Valentina, who had been busy with their food, immediately perked up at the mention of Nico's name. Valentina leaned over, peering at the screen with curiosity. "Wait… Nico cried over cake?"

Marius smirked. "Oh, this is gold. I need to see this."

Maria, realizing she had been caught, swallowed her food nervously. "Uhh… well, technically, it's exactly what it looks like?" she said with an innocent smile.

Guardiola sighed, shaking his head in amusement. "Maria, you do realize Nico has millions of followers, right? This is going to spread everywhere."

Maria shrugged. "He told me to delete it, but I figured it was too good to waste."

Marius let out a laugh. "Oh, he's gonna be so mad when he wakes up."

Valentina, however, was staring at the video with sparkling eyes. "Aww, Nico looks so cute when he's emotional!"

Maria smirked, crossing her arms. "Exactly. I did the world a favor."

Guardiola just sighed again, muttering, "You're impossible," before putting his phone away. He knew Nico was in for quite the surprise when he checked his phone later.

___________

Maria hesitated for a moment, playing with the food on her plate before finally letting out a small sigh.

"…I might've also told him that I like him," she admitted, her voice quieter than usual.

The room fell into silence.

Marius, who had just taken a sip of his drink, nearly choked. "Wait, what?!" he coughed, looking at her in disbelief.

Christina raised an eyebrow, a small knowing smile forming on her lips. "Well… that explains why he looked so lost in thought when he walked in."

Guardiola, who had been watching Maria carefully, chuckled softly. "And? What did he say?"

Maria bit her lip, glancing at them all before sighing again. "He said he likes me too."

Marius stared at her like she had just told him she was moving to Mars. "No way. No way. Nico actually admitted to liking someone? That Nico?!"

Maria clicked her tongue, narrowing her eyes at Marius. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence, Marius," she said sarcastically.

Marius shrugged. "I'm just saying! We all know how Nico is. He'd rather throw himself into a volcano than hurt someone's feelings. So, are you really sure he told you that he likes you? Or was he just being nice?"

Maria sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I am sure, okay? He was surprised at first, but then he told me he genuinely likes me. That he enjoys talking to me and spending time with me."

Marius still looked skeptical. "And you believe that?"

Maria rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do. I know Nico better than anyone. He doesn't say things just to say them. If he didn't feel the same way, he would've told me, even if it was hard for him."

Christina, who had been listening quietly, smirked. "Marius is just salty because Nico likes spending time with Maria more than him."

Marius scoffed. "Oh, please! I couldn't care less."

Valentina, who was only seven, tilted her head in confusion. "Wait… does this mean you and Nico are getting married?"

Maria nearly choked on her food. "W-What?! No! Where did that come from?!"

Valentina pouted. "But you like him, and he likes you. Doesn't that mean you get married?"

Marius groaned, rubbing his temples. "Val, that's not how it works."

Christina chuckled. "She's got a point, though. If this were a fairytale, you'd already be planning the wedding."

Maria let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head. "Guys, please. He just said he likes me, but he's not ready for a relationship yet. That's all."

Valentina frowned. "So… does that mean I still get to keep him as my big brother?"

Maria smiled, reaching over to ruffle Valentina's hair. "Of course, silly. Nothing's changing."

Valentina beamed. "Okay! Then I don't mind!"

Guardiola, who had been quietly observing, chuckled. "Well, I suppose we'll see where things go from here."

Marius shook his head, still processing everything. "Man, I still can't believe Nico actually admitted to liking someone."

Maria rolled her eyes, but deep down, she couldn't help but smile.