two

Then Elisha's expression darkened.

I stared at her with a puzzled look. After a while she replied softly.

"Lucky for you. Living with Evelyn."

"Huh?"

I tilted my head at Elisha, who suddenly envied Cassis.

Then I shook my head, remembering that children were especially obsessed with friends of their age.

I began to soothe the sullen Elisha.

"It's all right, Elisha."

"Huh? What?"

"Even if the guest comes, Elisha will be my best friend."

Yes, indeed.

There's nothing good about getting close to the male lead.

Then you'll make the two misunderstand and get dealt with by the male lead.

Elisha's eyes widened at my words.

Her green eyes shone in the sunlight. She was overioved.

"Yes! I like Evelyn best too!"

(T/N: she's saying "" which is a cuter way of saying yes/okay)

***

The next day, my mother and I went in a carriage to meet Cassis.

I was told that he was coming from the capital to the estate by train.

Trains were powered by mana, and they looked similar to old-fashioned trains that were only seen in books in my previous life.

There was still some time left for Cassis to

get on the train. "Are you happy to have a new friend,

Evelyn?"

"Yes!"

I answered vigorously. Actually, I'm not very happy.

Then I sat close to my mother like a gentle child and waited for Cassis.

In "First Love", Cassis was described as very handsome.

His silky, shimmering silver hair was like an angel in the deep sea, but his personality

was far from an angel.

I fumbled back to the novel that I could hardly remember now.

Perhaps because Cassis was very sick when he was young, he often cried out for Elisha because he was lethargic and sensitive.

But after he's grown up and became an adult?

Oh, man.

In the novel, I thought of the chapter in which Cassis revealed himself recklessly to Elisha.

The sick man came back as a beast.

"Oh, we must be here."

My mother's voice struck me, and I shifted my gaze to the stopped train.

***

I stared at the silver hair, which clearly showed its presence in the crowd.

Blue eyes filled with melancholy.

Pale skin.

But why do your lips have such a good

color?

I was mesmerized by the handsome Cassis more than I thought.

I see why Evelyn fell in love. How can you not fall for him when he's so handsome?

Cassis particularly stood out because he was dressed in a suit that was unlike a child.

In addition, maybe it's because I only saw children in the countryside. Though somehow I could see the halo above Cassis.

Then, I suddenly thought of Evelyn, who was ruined in the novel, and shook my head vigorously.

What's so good about being handsome? Don't get indigestion by stealing other people's rice cakes.*

I looked at Cassis with solemnity as if I had come out to fight.

Hmph, you think I'm going to fall in love? I'm not the ten-year-old Evelyn in the novel.

Cassis looked around to find us.

Then my mother waved at him, and he walked this way when he found us.

"You must be Cassis."

"Hello, Countess Monstera."

Cassis greeted us quite gently. His voice was weak as if he was sick.

The way he stimulates protective instincts... but you don't have to do that, that's not true!

I was on guard with my body close to my mother's arms.

By his side was a servant who seemed to be a porter.

I can't speak because he's more handsome

from up close.

Besides, why is he so big when he's only 12 years old?

I was amazed at his constant eye-catching appearance.

I was pretty big in the countryside, but Cassis was one head taller than me.

Wow, it would be worth seeing him stand side by side with Elisha.

I hummed, imagining a particularly small Elisha and Cassis together.

Then my eyes met with Cassis.

The gaze overlooking me seemed strangely annoyed.

What? What's with his expression?

I didn't look away because I was afraid I was mistaken. Then he made eye contact, not avoiding it.

Before I knew it, the search game turned into a snowball fight. I kept my eyes open as if I would never lose.

After a while, he smiled and raised the white flag.* I was elated and shrugged my shoulders.

Oh, my. You got caught up in a child's pattern again.

What else is that if you have a snowball fight?

Somehow, I felt strange because I felt like I was trying hard against a child.

Besides, didn't he just laugh at me?

But Cassis had a wry expression, as if he knew he had done so.

Only then did I feel embarrassed to fight

with the sick child.

Cassis looked at me and asked the Countess politely.

"Is she your daughter?"

"Yes, she is my daughter. Evelyn, say hi."

"Ah...! I'm Evelyn Monstera. Nice to meet you, Cassis."

He smiled weakly as I greeted him briskly.

"Please take good care of me, Evelyn."

I was amazed at how mature he was, but I was worried that he might have grown up early because he was sick.

A little while ago, I met a child of my age and without realizing it, the childlike side of me came out.

"Yes! Please take good care of me, too. Cassis."

When I reached out my hand and asked for

a handshake, Cassis hesitated for a moment before he held my hand.

My mother, who saw the moment, spoke with a sentimental look.

"I saw you for a moment when you were a

baby, and you're already this big. Thank you for coming."

"I owe you for the time being. Madam."

***

Cassis stayed in a VIP room, which was very far away from my room.

I lived in a room far from the VIP room early on because I knew this would happen.

I was determined and desperately prepared for a long time to get rid of my contact with Cassis.

To defeat an enemy, one must know the

enemy first.

I watched the movements of Cassis, hiding myself behind a pillar far away from his room.

Then, suddenly a shadow fell behind me.

"Miss?"

"Mom!* Oh my gosh, you scared me!"

I shouted in a fit of surprise.

I looked back, it was Paul, who came with Cassis. Paul apologized repeatedly, bowing

his back.

"S-sorry! I thought you needed help."

"Oh, no. T-that's... Ah! Actually, I wanted to play hide-and-seek... I was doing it alone."

I rolled my eyes and murmured the sudden

excuse.

Then Paul bent down to match my eye level and asked,

"Oh, do you want me to play with you?"

"Mhm. Yes! Then Paul is the seeker! I'll hide!"

"Okay, miss."

Paul smiled wildly and buried his face in the pillar and started counting.

It's a hide-and-seek that just started, but I didn't know what to do.

I searched for a place to hide, looking left and the right, hoping to make it exciting.

Oh, right.

I suddenly remembered the study, which had the most places to hide, and ran.

When I arrived at the study. I hid behind

the cart in the corner with a serious face.

The iron cart was perfect for hiding my body.

In the distance, I heard a distant sound from Paul, 'Now I'll find her!"

I held my breath with a nervous face for no reason. But I couldn't hear Paul coming at all.

Did I come too far to hide?

I poked my head out and looked for where Paul was.

Then, I hid quickly at the sound of someone approaching, covered my mouth with my hands, and closed my eyes tightly.

What is this? This is so tense.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer. A loud thumping heart could be heard.

Rustle.

At that time, I could hear the sound of a book's page being turned.

What is that? I looked up with a face that said "Oh?" and gasped in a fit of surprise.

It was Cassis.

No, why is he here?

I huddled in fear that Cassis might find me.

But unfortunately, the place I hid in was next to the chair.

Cassis came up to the chair with a book in his arms.

I panicked and sought refuge to a place somewhere else, but it was too late.

And in the end.

"What are you doing there?"

The seeker didn't come, but Cassis found me first.

Cassis spoke with a puzzled face.

"Why are you..."

"Where are you, miss? I really can't see you."

At the same time, I heard Paul calling me in the hallway.

I was surprised and dragged Cassis behind the cart with me.

"What the...!"

"Shh! Be quiet. I'm going to get caught by Paul."

"Huh."

When I put on a scary look and threatened him, Cassis grinned with a snickering face.

I hid close behind the cart, not caring whether he did or not.

Badump.

Then there was a loud thumping sound in my ear.

I closed my eyes tightly and leaned against the wall for fear that Paul would hear my heart and find me.

"Miss. It's no use hiding."

Fortunately, Paul's voice grew farther and farther away.

I breathed out a sigh of relief only after his

voice was completely distant.

Stupid Paul. You think I'm going out if you make that noise?

I was already deeply engaged in

hide-and-seek.

Then, I suddenly realized that the wall that touched my body was soft and smelled good.

Badump.

There's a heart sound coming from the wall. That's a loud one, too?

I fumbled unconsciously against the wall that had been close to me.

I thought it was the sound of my heart, but it turned out to be from the wall.

In addition, the wall was moving as if the

fish were jumping in the lake.

I put my hand on my chest. My heart was calm rather than surprised.

It wasn't my heart, was it?

So for a moment. I opened my eyes to the beating heart.

Then what I see in front of me is a white shirt, not a wall.

Hyuk!

I was astonished only then to realize that I

was close to Cassis' arms.

Thump.

The sound of Cassis' heart was carried from

my fingertips.

I stared at Cassis with my eyes fluttering,

the whole scene seemed slow.

His face was somehow flushed.

No, the redness of his neck was strange.

He bent down, as if he felt my gaze, while his head was completely reclined.

The distance was closer than I thought, and

my view was filled with his face.

afterword

*Raised the white flag: admitting defeat/ surrendering.

*Don't get indigestion by stealing other people's rice cakes/ 4: so it's similar to the phrase "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" which means 'other people's lives or situations always seem better than one's own' but with a twist.

*Mom!: evelyn said 'eomma' which is mom

in korean. koreans tend to say this often when they're surprised/scared from what i've seen.

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