Suddenly, I worried that this bashful man might run away again.

“Um… you know.”

“Yes…”

“You won’t run away again, will you?”

“I won’t. I know you dislike it. How could I dare to…”

Fortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t run away. I fanned my face with my hand, trying to cool the heat. Then Yezar asked me.

“Promise that you won’t run away either, my lady.”

“Why would I run…”

As I said that and looked at him, the moment he fiddled with my hand earlier came to mind. Instinctively, I took a step back from him.

“…you might too, right?”

At that time, I was just frustrated with him running away. Now I could understand his feelings.

‘It’s embarrassing. When I face him, it’s like the sensation of Yezar caressing my hand is revived.’

As I smiled awkwardly and avoided his gaze, he paused for a moment. I also stopped and waited for him. But instead of walking again, he spoke to me.

“I understand. I was like that too.”

His voice sounded somewhat sorrowful.

“Yezar?”

“But if you avoid me, my lady, I think I will be very sad… I hope you won’t do that.”

At that moment, when I inadvertently looked at him again, he was smiling, but it was such a heartbreaking smile that I faltered.

‘Yezar just silently watched Bertisha’s back as she walked away. Her smile towards Camileo looked so dazzlingly happy. He didn’t dare want to shatter that happiness. The endlessly falling rain mixed with his tears, dampening the dry ground.’

Why did that passage from the novel suddenly come to mind?

I really liked that description, filled with his devoted love for the female lead Bertisha, sorrowfully stepping back not wanting to break her happiness.

I unclenched my fist. Strangely, this man seemed so idealistic, as if he lacked the desires that people should naturally have.

He was excessively foolish, devoted, and only thought of others. I didn’t know why he acted that way, but he behaved as if it was okay for him to have nothing. As if he could disappear at any time.

“Smiling doesn’t make everything okay.”

But how could a person not have desires and be idealistic? They just control it, hide it, and conceal it so as not to reveal it. Without even knowing their insides are festering.

“I won’t avoid you. So don’t smile so sorrowfully. It makes my heart ache.”

“…Did I make your heart ache, my lady? I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize so carelessly. Yezar, you sometimes seem to not cherish yourself. While being so considerate to others…”

I carefully held his hand. The memory from earlier still hadn’t faded, so my face reddened a bit, but I had no intention of letting go.

“I’ll adapt. You said only the head maid and butler know the truth about our contract marriage, right?”

“That’s true, but for you to hold my… hand…”

He seemed as flustered as I was, unable to properly finish his words. Still, I liked that he didn’t let go and obediently held on.

“Let’s revise holding hands to be okay without seeking each other’s consent. We need to show some affectionate moments in front of other servants who don’t know the truth of our marriage.”

We would be holding hands a lot in the future anyway. We couldn’t be embarrassed like today every time.

Moreover, if I avoided him out of embarrassment, he might show that sorrowful smile again. I didn’t want that.

“Is it really okay for you to boldly hold my hand like this…?”

At the cautious question, I turned my head and scolded him.

“Can’t you see my face turning red right now?”

He really had no sense at all. How could it be okay?! Why did he fiddle with my hand like that and make me say strange things? I had many complaints, but seeing the flush on his face when I peeked, I couldn’t do that either.

‘Phew. Being a contract wife is quite tiring too.’

As we stood there holding hands, Yezar exclaimed in surprise.

“You are cute, my lady.”

“Don’t you remember the rules we set?”

What’s suddenly cute? He’s a man who abruptly calls even passing inanimate objects cute.

“Wasn’t it only not to say things like ‘lovely’?”

“I’m adding that to the rules too.”

“That’s too much, my lady.”

His face as he said it was too much was clear without a single shadow. As if something very pleasant had happened.

“While your face is like a bright spring day…”

As I grumbled softly, he laughed. Our steps that had stopped at some point started moving again.

Our hands were still clasped together, but I didn’t ask him to let go. If the servants happened to discover us coming out to the garden affectionately holding hands, it would be beneficial for our future contract marriage life.

Of course, I wasn’t used to it yet, so it was very embarrassing. Hopefully, I would get accustomed to this later… but I wondered if the day would come when I would be used to contact with a handsome man.

Then suddenly, I remembered something I had missed and asked for Yezar’s opinion.

“Ah, Yezar. I haven’t discussed this with you either, so I’m asking. When someone asks where we first held hands, should we say it was at some quiet park?”

When I asked that, his pace suddenly quickened. I clumsily followed behind him and shouted.

“Ye-Yezar! You’re walking too fast!”

Then his pace slowed down. But he covered his face with his other hand and carefully asked me.

“I’m sorry. But regarding the question you asked… things like where we had our first kiss. Do we need to decide that too…?”

Instantly, my gaze unwittingly went to his lips. Plump, smooth, fragrant, and through the slightly parted gap, the red, red…!

“Aah!”

I, who had such an impure thought, let go of his hand that I had been holding well and ran.

‘Dammit! How could I have such bad thoughts about pure him? Have I gone crazy?!’

But he chased right after me without even giving me time to run away.

“You said you wouldn’t run away!”

“Ah, I’m not running away! I just suddenly felt like running!”

Anyway, it’s not running away! So don’t follow me!

However, with those long legs of his, he ran to my side like when running away and held my hand.

As if not to let go, he firmly grasped my hand, and I also slowly stopped. There was nowhere else to run anyway. Knowing I would be caught, I made a clumsy excuse.

“Really, I just wanted to run for a bit.”

“I thought you were running away from me, my lady.”

My conscience pricked at his relieved answer. I tried hard not to look at his luscious lips and caught my breath.

“That… Yezar.”

“Yes.”

“About deciding things like the location of our first kiss… yes, we need to, but…”

We have to decide. Where we mainly went on dates, what we did when we met. There will be many nobles who will run to us like hyenas, curious to know why we had a secret relationship until now.

“Before that, let me sing a song in my head for a moment.”

To drive away these embarrassing and harmful thoughts, there was nothing better than this song. I sang the first verse of the national anthem and calmed my mind.

‘Please let me erase these bad thoughts.’

And the effect of the song was great. When I sneakily looked at his lips again, no thoughts came to mind.

“I think I’m okay now.”

As I smiled brightly, he made a puzzled expression.

“I don’t know what song you sang, but I’m glad you’re okay now.”

With that, he carefully fixed my hair that had been disheveled from running.

“Can I assume this level of contact is allowed?”

The upturned corners of his mouth drawing an arc and the thick charming flesh that rose were so pretty. He was really excessively handsome.

“I allowed holding hands too. I don’t mind this level of contact.”

Besides, I set the rule limiting skinship because I thought he would be uncomfortable. If he was okay with it, I was fine.

As I quietly accepted his touch, the rustling sound of him brushing my fallen hair behind my ear tapped my eardrums.

The hair fluttering in the moderately blowing wind, his gentle touch sweeping my hair back, his warm smile, for some reason.

If I closed my eyes, it felt like his lips would touch me.

So I quietly recited.

“…How about we say our first kiss was by a quiet lake like this, with the wind rustling, as Yezar was brushing my hair back?”

Then his hand slowly combed through my hair and brushed past my cheek.

“Yes, Julieta.”

For a moment, I felt like his blue eyes briefly captured my lips in his sight. Of course, it must have been my imagination.

“Because it’s a contract marriage, there seem to be quite a few parts we need to match. Let’s gradually decide on the rest.”

There was still quite some time left. The day to attend an external banquet was far off too. It’s just that there are many things to discuss like this in the beginning. Later on, there won’t be as many parts to match. By the time we adapt to this married life, the contract will end.

‘I think I’ll grow quite attached to this kind man over the 2 years. I’ll have to be careful.’

Thinking that, we finally reached the entrance of the garden. But he stopped me.

“My lady. Can we say our first meeting was at a noisy pub?”

“A pub?”

There were many other good places. A noisy pub, how strange. It didn’t seem like a place he would normally go to, so I was puzzled, but I didn’t refuse.

After going through the coming-of-age ceremony, I had rebelled and secretly drank alcohol, feeling like the original story’s ending was approaching.

“Yes, that’s fine. But is there a reason you chose a noisy pub?”

Then Yezar smiled playfully, unlike his usual self.

“It’s still a secret.”