Chapter 106

The uneasy thought gnawed at her. Had she hurt him, however unintentionally? Her heart grew heavy, and she bit her lip, mortified.

‘Oh, this is so embarrassing to say…’

Cheeks tinged with pink, she finally mumbled in a whisper.

“…Because I remembered.”

“What?”

When he didn’t quite catch her words and asked again, she lowered her gaze and blurted out in a small voice.

“It’s just that I remembered when you gave me those paper stars!”

But for some reason, he offered no reply. Curious, she lifted her head just a little, only to find a scene she never would have imagined: the tips of Axion’s ears and the nape of his neck were tinged faintly red.

Evelyn blinked, hardly able to believe what she was seeing.

“You…”

“….”

“Are you… feeling feverish or something?”

At her question, the man’s brow twitched slightly, and he let out a quiet sigh.

“Let’s just say I am.”

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

A short while later, Evelyn sat with Axion in her room, sharing a simple tea. They’d come in from the back hill, but for some reason, he seemed far less talkative than usual. If anything, there was a coolness about him, as though an invisible frost hung in the air.

‘What’s gotten into him?’

Whatever he was thinking, the tea in his cup remained untouched, just as it had been at the start. Watching the steamless surface of his long-cooled tea, she quietly sighed.

“And what are you displeased about this time?”

Despite her blunt question, the man propped his chin on his hand and replied with leisurely indifference.

“Displeased? I can’t say I am.”

When Evelyn shot him a skeptical look, as if she couldn’t quite believe him, he added in a flat voice.

“Do you really want to know?”

At the way he seemed to be almost asking for permission, she shook her head firmly.

“No, on second thought, I’d rather not.”

As she drew a clear boundary, Axion only smiled, as though he’d expected exactly that. His eyes, however, had taken on a curiously distant look as he continued.

“I was just thinking for a moment.”

“About what…?”

“About whether it’s time to change the nature of our relationship.”

“Hah—”

The words, so unexpectedly weighty, made her furrow her brow. As always, she had been content to maintain the distance that kept them as they were. There was no need to change anything. Once they graduated, they would each go their own way anyway.

‘But what kind of change is he talking about?’

She cast him a subtle, sidelong glance, only to find him wearing that unhurried smile of his.

“So, tell me, why did my fiancée want to see me today?”

It had been Evelyn who called out to him just as Axion was about to leave after training.

‘Oh, right. That’s why he’s here…’

Feeling a little sheepish, she took a sip of tea before answering,

“I happened to remember I had something to give you.”

He arched a brow, as if to urge her on. The next moment, she placed the gift she had purchased at the boutique on the tea table.

“Ahem. I felt a little guilty, always being the one to receive things from you.”

Tilting his head to one side, the man silently opened the gift box. He lifted the ruby chain brooch from within, and the gemstone’s deep crimson hue seemed to belong perfectly with the glint of his garnet eyes, as if they had always been meant for each other.

‘It suits him even better than I imagined.’

Of course, she had no intention of saying such an embarrassing compliment aloud. They weren’t nearly close enough for such embarrassing praise.

While she marveled in silence, Axion spoke, his voice low and unhurried.

“Did you choose it yourself?”

“I did. Why? You don’t like it?”

Worried that perhaps he might not like it, Evelyn watched him for any sign of displeasure. Yet the man, seated across from her, betrayed no particular reaction at all. His expression remained as unreadable as ever.

“Hm.”

‘Is it really that bad? That can’t be.’

Of all the new arrivals she had seen at the boutique that day, the ruby chain brooch had stood out the most. Even the discerning shop owner had said that it would suit Axion perfectly.