Chapter 76
‘I’m 30 minutes late.’
It’s all over.
His sister isn’t that understanding.
As he was gasping for breath with an anxious feeling, a white face and purple hair came into his field of view.
“It’s hot, take your time.”
“Ahh, ahh, sorry to keep you waiting. Sister. Our promise, I have to keep it…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t get mad at you for being late. I am generous with my disciples.”
Her reaction was unexpected.
She even looked at him with warm eyes, and Enrique bowed his head in surprise.
‘It’s weird.’
To the child, his older sister was like a viper who glared at him with fierce eyes.
Enrique had no choice but to put up his thorns like a hedgehog towards his older sister, who did not hide her displeasure.
But these days, he was getting more and more confused about who his sister Deborah was.
During class, there were times when he felt that the eyes looking at him were friendly.
She was much more complicated than poetry in which contradictory sentences appeared.
‘I can’t let my guard down.’
If he withdraws the thorns, he may be bitten more painfully.
However, despite feeling nervous, Enrique was meeting his sister at the library every week as if to check something.
It wasn’t just that he had a great interest in formulas.
“Come here.”
His older sister tapped on the seat next to her.
As he carefully sat down, she waved the bellpull and told the servant to bring drinks and snacks.
“It is very hot today. Isn’t it?”
A soft, gentle voice tickled his ears.
Feeling even more strange, Enrique fidgeted with the dripping cup and lowered his silver, thick eyelashes.
“Enrique.”
“Yes?”
“After drinking this, go inside and rest. You will get sick if you study too hard on a hot day.”
‘Go inside?’
His heart sank at the sudden order to leave.
‘I’m sorry for being lat…”
“Wait.”
She interrupted his words with an urgent voice.
“I meant for you to rest because you don’t look good. But since you have a strong will to learn, let’s review what we have done.”
His sister opened the textbook.
Because her handwriting felt somewhat angular and unique, anyone could tell that it was a book she wrote herself.
He has met many tutors over the years, but his sister was the only teacher who wrote the textbooks herself.
‘Does it mean that she really wants to teach me as a disciple?’
He has never gotten the problems she has been giving him wrong.
‘But she isn’t very interested in my test results.’
The nanny admonished him with bitter eyes, saying that if his rank and grades went down, he would not be able to live up to the expectations of the head of the household.
But his sister was the opposite.
“The problem must have been difficult, but you are always patient and try to solve everything.”
She always valued the process and encouraged him that trying something new and difficult was great in itself.
“Oh my god, it’s c-cute.”
“What?”
“Your h-handwriting is cute. All round. Ha. Ha.”
He was often confused by the strange things she said, but strangely, little by little, he relaxed.
Enrique drooped his stiff shoulders and listened attentively to his sister’s voice.
“You have to do addition here. And, if we substitute the numbers…”
During class, his sister’s voice was especially soft.
The pitch was just right, so it sounded like a lullaby.
As he was reviewing what he already knew, Enrique, who was only listening to her calm voice, began to bob his head forward at some point.
‘Ahh, I’m sleepy…’
As he listened to the quiet voice, his eyelids kept getting heavier.
Her long purple hair fluttered like a curtain in front of him, giving off a pleasant scent that made him feel drowsy.
The sensitive child was vaguely aware by feeling that the person in front of him was not a viper, and that he could relax his vigilance.
Although he never admitted it in his head.
‘Gosh, this isn’t good.’
Enrique quickly pinched his thigh.
However, he was having trouble sleeping because of the terrifying dream of falling into a swamp, and so, he began to feel uncontrollable sleepiness as if a dam was collapsing.
His vision soon turned white.
Enrique fell asleep in the warm sunlight coming through the library window.
While dreaming of a feeling of affection after a long time.
***
‘Is he asleep?’
Enrique kept showing a different side today.
He always comes on time without fail; but didn’t he come running late with a messy look, and suddenly fall asleep during class?
‘Why?’
The fact that Enrique, who was always concentrated with an upright posture, suddenly collapsed is one of two things: either his vigilance towards me has lowered a little, or he is quite tired.
‘I wish it was the former, if possible, but looking at his condition today, it seems to be the latter.’
Looking at Enrique’s darkened eyes and pale, tired face, I sighed.
What is it that is troubling him so much that he suddenly falls asleep at such a young age?
‘I’m getting more and more concerned about him being too mature.’
Remembering that lonely face in the flower garden the other day, I was confused.
Maybe Enrique’s appearance, who seemed to be burdened a lot, made me remember Yoon Do-hee.
Seeing his precocious appearance, I remembered my past life.
I was always told that I was a mature and good-natured child.
I didn’t want to see my mother upset because she didn’t have money, so I often gave up what I had to my older sister and younger brother.
Grandma often said that I was a quiet child who did not cause any trouble.
Of course, I wasn’t as smart or cute as Enrique.
‘Speaking of which, he’s sleeping really well.’
I glanced at Enrique who was sleeping.
Enrique, who had been sleeping until the sunset fell on the window with a colorful breathing sound, suddenly got up, and I was startled.
“Gosh!”
Enrique exhaled.
As the paper stuck to his lips fell down, I could see his eyes full of bewilderment.
The boy looked at me with a sleepy face.
“That, I didn’t mean to fall asleep, why did I suddenly fall asleep, I’m sorr…”
“I am a generous teacher who does not get angry. Don’t worry.”
But Enrique didn’t want to listen to me at all, as if he was quite shocked for falling asleep during class.
“Sister accepted me as a disciple, gave me classes every week, and made question papers, but I was late, fell asleep, and disappointed her.”
Enrique’s big eyes widened.
The uncomfortable feeling I had felt before grew bigger as he had more dignity and was strict about his faults in comparison to his age.
“Why are you saying that?”
I lightly grabbed Enrique’s shoulder, who was in a panic.
“I am not disappointed with you at all. To be honest, I thought you were cute when you were sleeping.”
As I pointed to the corner of his lips with dry saliva and handed him a handkerchief, Enrique’s pale cheeks turned as red as apples.
‘Ah right, he doesn’t like the word cute.’
Thinking he was being treated like a child, Enrique jumped up from his seat.
‘But he’s really a kid, isn’t he?’
I quickly grabbed Enrique, who was starting the engine to make a quick start, and held him by my side.
“Alright, alright! I take back the word ‘cute’!”
“Let go!”
“I’ll say you’re cool instead. Our Enrique is the coolest person in the world, even if he sleeps like a log and drools.”
“D-Don’t make fun of me!”
I let Enrique go with a smirk as he struggled with his limbs.
He looked droopy with a tired face before, but now he seemed to be a bit more energetic.
Enrique’s earlobes and the nape of his neck were as red as apples because I teased him a little.
I continued, following the child who was fuming vigorously.
“Enrique, are you angry?”
“…”
“I wasn’t making fun of you. I said that because you’re really cool.”
“Liar!”
“Ahem. Are you saying that your noble teacher is lying now?”
“Ugh.”
I lightly stroked the trembling boy’s hair and repeated the word ‘cool’ several times.
“Since your older brothers’ faces are considered a national treasure, you too will grow up handsomely. Maybe you’ll be much taller than me?”
Enrique puffed out his white cheeks and pouted his lips.
Still, he didn’t shake off my hand, which was stroking his hair, as much as he used to.
“Young Master!”
Enrique, who had been entrusting his head with a sullen cat-like expression, shuddered and stepped back at the high-pitched voice he heard in the distance.
A middle-aged woman with a strict expression approached me and Enrique.
“Who are you?”
“Greetings, Princess Deborah. I am Madame Carryl, the Young Master’s nanny.”
As Enrique, who was acting sullen, suddenly met the woman, he changed into a polite, mature expression.
“The Young Master has troubled the Princess until such late hours. Then, we will take our leave.”
“Wait, who did you say troubled me? Don’t say things like that without knowing what’s going on. Be careful with what you say.”
As I calmly glared at her, a momentary embarrassment flashed across the middle-aged woman’s face.
“I’m the one who held him back. Enjoy your dinner, Enrique.”
“…”
“See you again. Little brother.”
Enrique, who was blinking his big eyes slowly with a look of surprise, bowed his head politely at me and followed the nanny to the separate building.
‘Hmm.’
The uncomfortable feeling that I had felt before was getting stronger.
I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t just go on like this.
—
Chapter 76
‘I’m 30 minutes late.’
It’s all over.
His sister isn’t that understanding.
As he was gasping for breath with an anxious feeling, a white face and purple hair came into his field of view.
“It’s hot, take your time.”
“Ahh, ahh, sorry to keep you waiting. Sister. Our promise, I have to keep it…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t get mad at you for being late. I am generous with my disciples.”
Her reaction was unexpected.
She even looked at him with warm eyes, and Enrique bowed his head in surprise.
‘It’s weird.’
To the child, his older sister was like a viper who glared at him with fierce eyes.
Enrique had no choice but to put up his thorns like a hedgehog towards his older sister, who did not hide her displeasure.
But these days, he was getting more and more confused about who his sister Deborah was.
During class, there were times when he felt that the eyes looking at him were friendly.
She was much more complicated than poetry in which contradictory sentences appeared.
‘I can’t let my guard down.’
If he withdraws the thorns, he may be bitten more painfully.
However, despite feeling nervous, Enrique was meeting his sister at the library every week as if to check something.
It wasn’t just that he had a great interest in formulas.
“Come here.”
His older sister tapped on the seat next to her.
As he carefully sat down, she waved the bellpull and told the servant to bring drinks and snacks.
“It is very hot today. Isn’t it?”
A soft, gentle voice tickled his ears.
Feeling even more strange, Enrique fidgeted with the dripping cup and lowered his silver, thick eyelashes.
“Enrique.”
“Yes?”
“After drinking this, go inside and rest. You will get sick if you study too hard on a hot day.”
‘Go inside?’
His heart sank at the sudden order to leave.
‘I’m sorry for being lat…”
“Wait.”
She interrupted his words with an urgent voice.
“I meant for you to rest because you don’t look good. But since you have a strong will to learn, let’s review what we have done.”
His sister opened the textbook.
Because her handwriting felt somewhat angular and unique, anyone could tell that it was a book she wrote herself.
He has met many tutors over the years, but his sister was the only teacher who wrote the textbooks herself.
‘Does it mean that she really wants to teach me as a disciple?’
He has never gotten the problems she has been giving him wrong.
‘But she isn’t very interested in my test results.’
The nanny admonished him with bitter eyes, saying that if his rank and grades went down, he would not be able to live up to the expectations of the head of the household.
But his sister was the opposite.
“The problem must have been difficult, but you are always patient and try to solve everything.”
She always valued the process and encouraged him that trying something new and difficult was great in itself.
“Oh my god, it’s c-cute.”
“What?”
“Your h-handwriting is cute. All round. Ha. Ha.”
He was often confused by the strange things she said, but strangely, little by little, he relaxed.
Enrique drooped his stiff shoulders and listened attentively to his sister’s voice.
“You have to do addition here. And, if we substitute the numbers…”
During class, his sister’s voice was especially soft.
The pitch was just right, so it sounded like a lullaby.
As he was reviewing what he already knew, Enrique, who was only listening to her calm voice, began to bob his head forward at some point.
‘Ahh, I’m sleepy…’
As he listened to the quiet voice, his eyelids kept getting heavier.
Her long purple hair fluttered like a curtain in front of him, giving off a pleasant scent that made him feel drowsy.
The sensitive child was vaguely aware by feeling that the person in front of him was not a viper, and that he could relax his vigilance.
Although he never admitted it in his head.
‘Gosh, this isn’t good.’
Enrique quickly pinched his thigh.
However, he was having trouble sleeping because of the terrifying dream of falling into a swamp, and so, he began to feel uncontrollable sleepiness as if a dam was collapsing.
His vision soon turned white.
Enrique fell asleep in the warm sunlight coming through the library window.
While dreaming of a feeling of affection after a long time.
***
‘Is he asleep?’
Enrique kept showing a different side today.
He always comes on time without fail; but didn’t he come running late with a messy look, and suddenly fall asleep during class?
‘Why?’
The fact that Enrique, who was always concentrated with an upright posture, suddenly collapsed is one of two things: either his vigilance towards me has lowered a little, or he is quite tired.
‘I wish it was the former, if possible, but looking at his condition today, it seems to be the latter.’
Looking at Enrique’s darkened eyes and pale, tired face, I sighed.
What is it that is troubling him so much that he suddenly falls asleep at such a young age?
‘I’m getting more and more concerned about him being too mature.’
Remembering that lonely face in the flower garden the other day, I was confused.
Maybe Enrique’s appearance, who seemed to be burdened a lot, made me remember Yoon Do-hee.
Seeing his precocious appearance, I remembered my past life.
I was always told that I was a mature and good-natured child.
I didn’t want to see my mother upset because she didn’t have money, so I often gave up what I had to my older sister and younger brother.
Grandma often said that I was a quiet child who did not cause any trouble.
Of course, I wasn’t as smart or cute as Enrique.
‘Speaking of which, he’s sleeping really well.’
I glanced at Enrique who was sleeping.
Enrique, who had been sleeping until the sunset fell on the window with a colorful breathing sound, suddenly got up, and I was startled.
“Gosh!”
Enrique exhaled.
As the paper stuck to his lips fell down, I could see his eyes full of bewilderment.
The boy looked at me with a sleepy face.
“That, I didn’t mean to fall asleep, why did I suddenly fall asleep, I’m sorr…”
“I am a generous teacher who does not get angry. Don’t worry.”
But Enrique didn’t want to listen to me at all, as if he was quite shocked for falling asleep during class.
“Sister accepted me as a disciple, gave me classes every week, and made question papers, but I was late, fell asleep, and disappointed her.”
Enrique’s big eyes widened.
The uncomfortable feeling I had felt before grew bigger as he had more dignity and was strict about his faults in comparison to his age.
“Why are you saying that?”
I lightly grabbed Enrique’s shoulder, who was in a panic.
“I am not disappointed with you at all. To be honest, I thought you were cute when you were sleeping.”
As I pointed to the corner of his lips with dry saliva and handed him a handkerchief, Enrique’s pale cheeks turned as red as apples.
‘Ah right, he doesn’t like the word cute.’
Thinking he was being treated like a child, Enrique jumped up from his seat.
‘But he’s really a kid, isn’t he?’
I quickly grabbed Enrique, who was starting the engine to make a quick start, and held him by my side.
“Alright, alright! I take back the word ‘cute’!”
“Let go!”
“I’ll say you’re cool instead. Our Enrique is the coolest person in the world, even if he sleeps like a log and drools.”
“D-Don’t make fun of me!”
I let Enrique go with a smirk as he struggled with his limbs.
He looked droopy with a tired face before, but now he seemed to be a bit more energetic.
Enrique’s earlobes and the nape of his neck were as red as apples because I teased him a little.
I continued, following the child who was fuming vigorously.
“Enrique, are you angry?”
“…”
“I wasn’t making fun of you. I said that because you’re really cool.”
“Liar!”
“Ahem. Are you saying that your noble teacher is lying now?”
“Ugh.”
I lightly stroked the trembling boy’s hair and repeated the word ‘cool’ several times.
“Since your older brothers’ faces are considered a national treasure, you too will grow up handsomely. Maybe you’ll be much taller than me?”
Enrique puffed out his white cheeks and pouted his lips.
Still, he didn’t shake off my hand, which was stroking his hair, as much as he used to.
“Young Master!”
Enrique, who had been entrusting his head with a sullen cat-like expression, shuddered and stepped back at the high-pitched voice he heard in the distance.
A middle-aged woman with a strict expression approached me and Enrique.
“Who are you?”
“Greetings, Princess Deborah. I am Madame Carryl, the Young Master’s nanny.”
As Enrique, who was acting sullen, suddenly met the woman, he changed into a polite, mature expression.
“The Young Master has troubled the Princess until such late hours. Then, we will take our leave.”
“Wait, who did you say troubled me? Don’t say things like that without knowing what’s going on. Be careful with what you say.”
As I calmly glared at her, a momentary embarrassment flashed across the middle-aged woman’s face.
“I’m the one who held him back. Enjoy your dinner, Enrique.”
“…”
“See you again. Little brother.”
Enrique, who was blinking his big eyes slowly with a look of surprise, bowed his head politely at me and followed the nanny to the separate building.
‘Hmm.’
The uncomfortable feeling that I had felt before was getting stronger.
I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t just go on like this.
—
