Chapter 100

Her true feelings had escaped before she realized it. Flustered, she clapped a hand over her mouth, but there was no way to take the words back.

A thick, awkward silence settled between them.

‘Why did I have to go and say something like that…?!’

A strange sense of wounded pride welled up inside her. Evelyn bit her lower lip and clenched her fists in her lap.

“Pfft—”

Axion let out a soft, almost faint laugh, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he tried to stifle it.

“What? Why are you laughing?”

As she fumed in disbelief, he replied with a faint, amused smile.

“It’s not so bad, having someone worry about me.”

What is he even saying? He really is the strangest boy.

Evelyn could only shake her head in disbelief, though she couldn’t help but notice his expression looked a little brighter than before.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

Lost in memories of childhood, she gazed at the jar of paper stars her fiancé had given her, a gentle smile curving her lips.

“So… did it work back then?”

“Of course. Thanks to the wish you gave me.”

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Axion’s awakening fever had vanished without a trace just two days later.

Looking at the man who, after all these years, still remembered and returned her paper stars, Evelyn burst into a clear, joyful laugh. And yet, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder how he’d managed to find something so faded in everyone else’s memory. She peered into the jar, tilting her head in curiosity.

“Where did you ever find these?”

“—them.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

When she asked, unable to catch his words, Axion replied in a flat, indifferent tone,

“I made them.”

“What? You made these yourself?”

At his completely unexpected answer, her eyes grew as wide as lanterns, and she blinked rapidly in surprise. Was this really Axion Valentino? Wasn’t he the same unromantic boy who, when given a jar of paper stars, had once insisted you could simply buy whatever you wanted?

A rush of admiration swept through her as she realized how much her fiancé had changed.

‘So this is what they call real progress.’

Axion, who had been quietly watching her, tilted his head to the side. Then, casting a fleeting glance at the glass jar, he said in a bored tone.

“If you don’t like it, you can give it back.”

“Who said I didn’t like it? You can’t just take back a gift!”

Afraid he might try, she hugged the jar of paper stars tightly to her chest. Then, with a bright smile, she offered her thanks.

“Thank you, Axion. Really.”

Even if he so often spoke in that blunt, exasperating way, she knew he must have made the stars with her in mind. The man gazed at her in silence, then finally said, in his usual calm, unruffled voice.

“It seems your mood’s improved.”

“My mood…?”

Evelyn looked a bit taken aback when he brought it up so suddenly. Had he somehow noticed? She had tried so hard not to let any gloom show on her face. Nervously, she moistened her dry lips.

Meanwhile, Axion glanced at his pocket watch, then, without a word, picked up his coat.

“I should get going.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“….”

As his dark brows twitched and an odd light flickered in his eyes, she hurried to continue.

“H-Hey, don’t get the wrong idea! I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just bored, that’s all!”

She waved her hands in protest, as if truly aggrieved by her own flustered excuses. The more she tried to explain, the more awkward the air between them seemed to grow.

‘Evelyn, what are you even doing right now?’

Strangely, she always found it impossible to keep her composure in front of him. As her eyes darted restlessly and she bit down on her lower lip, she suddenly realized that Axion had been watching her all along, his crimson lips curving into a smooth, faint smile.

“I understand exactly what you mean.”

“Y-You do?”

Relieved that, for once, he hadn’t misunderstood her intentions, Evelyn let out a quiet sigh. Then, in a tone far too gentle for someone like him, his voice brushed softly against her ear.

“But isn’t it still a little soon?”

“….!”

“Well, not that I’d mind.”