As soon as Kirian appeared, Gerald’s face was dyed with all sorts of brilliant colors, finally turning pale as if drained of blood, and the deserted yard was left with only Kirian and me.

“Thank you for catching me.”

As I straightened my body and took a step back, Kirian obediently let go of me. For a long while, Kirian, with eyes stained by all kinds of emotions, slowly opened his mouth.

“Don’t forgive me so easily.”

“You were the one who asked for forgiveness.”

Trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere, I unnecessarily grumbled while glancing at Kirian.

“What if I really do what you ask? I know there’s no one as kind and good as my sister.”

Kirian abruptly cut off his words, as if frustrated, and sighed, rubbing his face.

“I’m doing it because it’s you.”

Kirian, who had been consistently avoiding my eyes, sneakily looked at me.

“I’m forgiving you because it’s you.”

I poked Kirian’s cheek a couple of times. The smooth sensation made me want to ask about his skincare secrets. But the only secret must have been his genetics.

But even with my teasing, Kirian continued to look at me with complicated eyes. Hope, mistrust, desperation, and resignation all mixed, darkening the center of his red pupils.

It hurt my heart so much that I tried to put my feelings into words as best I could.

I had just realized it, and it was still strange to me, but I spoke with sincerity in every word.

“I trust you.”

Kirian’s brows furrowed sharply, as if something displeased him. His voice that finally came out was rough, like it was scratched on sandpaper.

“I deceived you.”

He lowered his gaze, as if he couldn’t look me in the eye any longer, and it fixed on my hand where the bandage was half unraveled.

“I manipulated the situation behind your back, to your disadvantage.”

Kirian grabbed my hand and began to rewrap the loose bandage carefully. He was skillful, as if he had done it many times before.

I suddenly remembered Eliza’s words about the new bandage that was changed this morning.

“I even caused you to get hurt.”

After tying the last knot, Kirian slowly raised his eyes and stared at me intently.

“But how can you say you trust me?”

I looked at him unflinchingly.

“If I were to do that, would you not trust me?”

Kirian seemed at a loss for words, his lips just quivering.

“It’s the same thing.”

I had to stand on my tiptoes to reach Kirian, who had grown so much taller, and further messed up his silvery hair.

“I know how bad a person you are.”

In the original story, just gathering the people Kirian had caught to prove his love for the heroine would have been enough to create a small city.

“Sensitive, grumpy, and a habit of ignoring other people’s feelings.”

With each accusation I made, Kirian flinched as if he’d been hit.

“No matter how much your followers praise you, I’ve seen you for how many years now.”

Kirian seemed to give up, lowering his long eyelashes.

“Of course I trust you.”

His silvery eyelashes trembled, and Kirian slowly raised his eyes, as if in disbelief.

“Even if you are temperamental, you’re not a bad person.”

Now I could say it with certainty.

The doubt I had been harboring in the back of my mind, in case, since Kirian’s childhood was not depicted in the original story.

If time passed and the original Kirian appeared instead of the one I knew, my worry that all this might vanish like a mirage, unable to defy the fate of the original story.

The burden of emotions I had been carrying while living in this world had faded without me realizing it.

Now, looking Kirian straight in the eye, I was ready to fully let go.

“You’re a good person. I believe there was a reason.”

I bit my lip for a moment.

“No, I just trust you.”

Suddenly, my body was pulled, and a familiar scent enveloped me. When I came to my senses, Kirian’s arms were holding me tightly.
I flinched, not knowing what to do, and hunched my shoulders. My heart sank, and I heard the sound of waves in my ears.

“Really, can I believe it?”

A trembling breath and a soft voice resonated above my head. Contrary to the precarious voice, the arms that embraced me only tightened.

“Do I deserve to do that?”

“Yes.”

I carefully embraced Kirian after much contemplation, stroking his back and nodding.

“Nobody but you deserves to.”

Kirian silently hugged me even more tightly. It was just before suffocation, but my strength relaxed and my head naturally reached Kirian’s chest.

Then I heard a desperate voice calling me from afar.

“Miss! Where have you gone, Miss!”

As the loud call approached, Kirian put a finger to his lips and pulled me deeper into the bush by the wall. I had no choice but to press my body against the blue leaves to hide.

Contrary to what I expected, I was momentarily startled by the firm touch, but the warmth enveloped me and I felt the heartbeat through the soft shirt.

“Miss! I have made the tea!”

Eliza stopped right next to us. Eliza had particularly sharp ears, and we were within arm’s reach, but fortunately, it seemed she didn’t notice us.

Eliza, who momentarily rubbed her chin, suddenly opened her eyes wide.