I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE’S GOING TO ASK, but I am happy to talk to him first, so I yelled in my eagerness.
“Okay, brother!”
While he was transcribing, I had been watching him with my chin resting in my hands.
From a distance that was closer than I had initially thought, he opened his mouth slowly to speak without taking his eyes off me.
“What have you been up to?”
Oh? Why would you ask that?
“Did you miss me, brother?”
“….”
“I missed brother, too.”
His expression on his face has changed slightly, probably due to my words. I looked at his face that had a milder atmosphere than usual as if he had been possessed.
I can’t get used to his looks no matter how many times I see him.
His thick fluttering eyelashes, and his golden eyes glowing below them. There is also a deep tear spot that is placed under his left eye.
His eyes were drowsy and seductive.
He is a man who stood out in such strong splendor just due to his appearance, no matter how dry his expression.
Despite that basic fact, however, I swallowed a sigh in my mind as I watched the second male lead, who had no emotions.
“If you smile, you’ll be many times prettier…”
My “inner thoughts” popped out of my mouth without realizing it.
“What?”
“Oh!”
I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, but it was too late. Lucian looked at me with his eyes wide open in an expression of surprise that I rarely see.
How should I explain that outburst? I rolled my eyes at my own actions and looked at Lucian again.
We were just staring at each other without saying a word, but the basket I had put on my knees fell down.
The grapes, apples, and oranges in the basket all rolled away.
“Ugh!”
Surprised, I got up in a hurry and tried to pick up some of the fruit. At that time, another child sized hand came up and covered mine.
“Stay still.”
His thin hands trembled.
As if this is the first time I had been in direct contact with him, I held onto him tightly and felt surprised.
“Are you sick?”
I was a little surprised by his unexpected strong grip, but it didn’t hurt at all.
What’s with this power?
And what is the reason behind this unusual kindness from him? Is there a grape in my mouth or something?
While glancing at me, who couldn’t hide my puzzled expression, Lucian began to pick up the apples and oranges that fell onto the floor.
After I had been standing there in a daze, I followed after him hastily.
“I’ll pick them up, too!”
I went to grab an orange in front of me and put it in the basket. I bent down and picked it up.
Lucian picked up all the fruits that had rolled quite far and put them in the basket. I picked up the last apple and put it in the basket and straightened my waist.
“Ouch!”
“…”
I don’t know why, but the back of my head and his chin collided.
It hurt so bad I thought I could see a shooting star swirling around right in front of me, but he might have seen the Milky Way too when I hit his chin.
“Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?”
I asked with concern lacing my voice. He sat with his knees bent in front of me, who had fallen on the floor.
His shoulders were trembling.
You’re not gonna cry, are you? You are the last person I would want to cause such pain. You’re not going to get even later, are you?
I asked with worried eyes.
“L-l-let me see if you’re alright.”
Unable to control his facial expressions as he was leaning over me, I begged him.
“Did you bite your tongue?”
I felt a cold sweat form on my back because I still didn’t hear a response from him even when I asked again. I suddenly thought of bringing him medicine first.
“I’ll go get some medicine. Hold on, brother!”
As I was getting up after nervously shouting my words, his big but childish hand grabbed me once again.
Having brought me back to his level, he shook his head from side to side with his head down.
At the same time, his shoulders shook.
“Brother.”
He barely raised his head at my call.
His white face is colored pink and was moist around the eyes.
He shook his shoulders again when he looked at me.
I froze when I saw him smiling brightly without a sound.
I was speechless because of his dazzling smile, which I had only seen in the webtoon.
It is the smile that I could only see when he was with Sue.
It’s a bright smile without any malice. It is a pure smile that is only filled with joy.
I never thought I’d see this face myself. Can I take this as a good sign?
Why does he make people worry because he’s smiling silently?
Of course, his jaw is not safe either.
I looked at his red chin for a moment rather than his heated eyes, and I lowered my head without realizing it and blew at it.
It won’t work much, but he should still be having a hard time.
My favorite. I’ll take care of you okay. Who will take care of you anyway if I don’t?
At that moment, his joyfully crescent eyes quickly returned to their original form. I was surprised at the quick return to his usual expression and just blinked.
Then he stood up.
After standing up in a hurry, he stared at me in silence and picked up the basket.
“Oh, brother.”
“Didn’t you bring this for me?”
“That’s right, but the basket fell. I’ll get you another one when I get back.”
He shook his head slowly at my words. He took the paper he had written, organized his notes, and looked at me again.
With a faint smile on his lips that he didn’t even notice.
“Thank you, Raphael.”
“……No problem.”
It’s something you should be able to enjoy anyway. I’m just a distraction that rolled in, why are you saying thanks to me?
His gratitude suddenly made me feel embarrassed. I couldn’t help but put my hands in my dress’ pockets.
There was a small box that I caught in my hand, but I couldn’t get it out easily.
This present was bought by the Duke.
So I couldn’t just give it to him acting like I bought it.
Without the unfortunate series of events in the past, he would not have to suffer such pain, and everything in the duke’s house would belong to him.
I know that it’s a useless gift, but I am very shy at this moment.
“I’ll get permission from father next time.”
“……Pardon?”
Lucian, who is about to leave the study room, looked directly at me and finished talking.
“So that I can put my time with you in my schedule.”
“………”
He remembered my request that I had told him about before.
Recently I have been trying to get permission. Even though the Duke would not allow it.
I wanted to support Lucian’s efforts. I wanted to show him that there is someone waiting and cheering for him.
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll be able to get permission from the Duke.”
If he tries, I will try too.
I mean, he’s my favorite. So please be happy.
After hearing my answer, he gently closed his eyes. That response alone seemed to have brightened up his expression on his face.
I couldn’t move from my spot until he left the study room.
My heart beat was about to explode.
Lucian, who came out of the study, hurriedly walked with his basket clenched in his hands.
I was out of my mind.
After I was around the child for a bit, my head just seemed to blank out.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───
AFTER RUSHING BACK TO HIS ROOM, Lucian put down the basket. There were many events that happened, but the most surprising thing was the taste. He picked up a green grape that was rolling in the basket and put it in his mouth.
He tried to discern the flavor of the grapes by rolling them around in his mouth, but they were not tasty as the ones from before.
So he couldn’t find any trace of the taste he expected.
He had a secret.
It’s a secret that neither his father nor his mother knows.
“Why does everything taste so good when I’m with Raphael?”
To be exact, it is Raphael’s food, but.
When the food touches the child’s hand then goes into his mouth, it tastes delicious.
As he was swallowing the grapes that were not the same as the refreshing grape flavor that he ate earlier, he tried to ignore the ringing voice in his head.
He then recalled when Raphael had touched some of the oranges that he had picked up himself. He had touched them with his hands.
Raphael is very different from his first impression. He didn’t ignore him or try to destroy his spirit, but instead, he liked him.
At first, he felt ashamed of himself for misunderstanding him based on his appearance.
It is his first time to be liked like this, so he wasn’t able to easily notice Raphael’s true intentions.
But now he has changed his mind from his initial idea of his.
“I wish I could see you more often…”
He was sorry that he could only see him for a short time because of his busy schedule. Lucian wanted to ask his father for permission as soon as possible.
Although the process would not be smooth, he could not give up on it.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───
“MAYBE TODAY? TOMORROW? No, I think I should go today.”
I murmured as I checked the timeline of the original novel that I wrote down in my notebook.
The time is approaching for the sub-male to appear. It is safe to say that the original novel has already begun.
《Into-Into-In》 was a free and popular webtoon, and the story development began with the sad and unfortunate past of the duke.
From the point of view of Lucian, the official male lead, I remember him meeting the sub-male lead. Didn’t he say that he thought white clouds had fallen from the sky to the ground?
“My favorite is also poetic. So that’s why he noticed him?”
I inhaled and exhaled deeply through my nose. I stood in front of the window with my arms tightly folded in front of my chest.
I had to confirm that the duke is coming.
No wonder it is today.
The Duke will return with something important. I stared out the window without saying a word, but eventually, I went outside myself.
I ordered Amber to set up a tea table. I had her put it in the garden of the red rose with a good view of the Duke’s estate entrance.
Standing next to Amber, who was setting up quickly, I murmured quietly.
“A red rose. I think it’s very fitting.”
Let’s all go crazy together, okay?
Just like a bull rushing at a matador with red cloth, I am going to run him in circles when he comes.
Cheeky, mean sub-male lead!
I’m ready. Come on!
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