SOKM CH 07

Episode 7

I let out a deflating sigh as I took the handkerchief Hayden handed me.

“Really, I’m fine. What about you? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Of course not,” he answered bluntly, brushing the back of his hair.

“Sir, I gave you that to wipe your face.”

Wipe what?

I looked down at the handkerchief I was fiddling with, then at Hayden’s face. He awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“?”

I touched my own face and felt it damp. Before I even realized it, I quickly lowered my head and wiped my eyes.

“Oh no… I showed such an embarrassing sight.”

“It’s not embarrassing at all.”

While Hayden pretended not to notice my tears, I carefully wiped my face with his handkerchief.

Good grief. Crying just because I was surprised…

Worried the tear stains might remain, I rubbed too hard at my cheeks, but Hayden suddenly reached out and took the handkerchief away.

“What are you doing?”

“That’s enough.”

“But I’m still using it! You can’t just take it back.”

“It’s already soaked. You can’t wipe with it anymore.”

He folded the damp cloth neatly and tucked it into his chest pocket.

I tried to hide my embarrassment by fiddling with my sleeve.

“Anyway, it’s good to see you again. Honestly, I was feeling sick this morning. But when you came to visit, I felt much better.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. I was so happy I cried, just now too. I wasn’t ignoring you at all.”

Hayden, looking just as embarrassed as me, gave a small nod. Then, after hesitating, he spoke.

“If you’re really sick… maybe you should rest until tomorrow?”

“What?”

Did he just say that?

I guess seeing me suddenly cry and act friendly made him think something was seriously wrong.

I pressed my lips with my finger to stop myself from smiling and shook my head.

“No. More than that, I need to think about something. Will you wait a bit for me?”

“…Excuse me?”

Hayden, who had been about to stand, tilted his head.

“You mean… not go back, and wait here?”

“Yes. Since you came, let’s at least share another cup of tea.”

He glanced at the untouched cup in front of him, then nodded reluctantly.

“If you insist, I’ll spare the time.”

He stood up and began looking around my study and bookshelves. Finding a book he liked, he leaned against the wall and started reading.

I folded my arms, watching him with a calm face.

It was then, seeing Hayden, that another face came to my mind.

Blier.

How could I have forgotten? At my graduation ceremony, Hayden would meet Blier for the first time.

“So it begins. Of course something had to happen this year.”

I bit back a sigh and closed my eyes tightly.

After a long while, I finally called Hayden back.

“Did I keep you waiting too long?”

“I passed the time just fine,” he said, shaking the book in his hand.

“Oh, that book! It’s good, isn’t it? You can take it if you haven’t finished. I already read it.”

I was glad to see the familiar cover, but Hayden frowned and opened it to the middle.

“Really? But there’s a bookmark here.”

Of course. I’d read it in the future.

But I couldn’t say that, so I nodded casually.

“Probably because I read it twice.”

Trying to show off a little, but his expression darkened further.

“Sir, you must be mistaken. This book was only published this week. If you’ve read it twice already, then I suppose you’ve already finished processing those magical devices I gave you last month?”

“Ah…”

I held my forehead and refused to answer.

“My head hurts… Can’t we talk about work at the Kayan Knight headquarters? I’m sick right now.”

“…I wasn’t expecting much.”

“Good. Then sit back down.”

I poured us both fresh tea.

As Hayden lifted his cup, I found myself staring at him.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No reason.”

Up close, he looked so young.

In my memory, Hayden had always seemed noble, aloof, and lonely—as if he carried the world on his shoulders.

“By the way, Hayden… If I remember right, you promised to attend my graduation as my partner, yes?”

He didn’t look at me, but answered quietly.

“Yes.”

As I thought. In the future, he had always accompanied me to make sure I didn’t drink myself half to death.

I clapped my hands lightly and said, “You don’t have to come. I’ll go without a partner.”

He calmly sipped his tea, unfazed—as if he had already expected this.

“May I ask your reason?”

To protect our lives and the peace of the world?

I lowered my eyes at the unfunny thought.

“No reason.”

My weak voice made Hayden put his cup down.

“…I’m sorry, but if you can’t give me a reason, I can’t agree.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t trust you anymore.”

My mouth hung open in shock.

“…What?”

“Every time you say you’ll only rest for one day, or that you just want to go alone… it’s always a lie. You don’t know what moderation is. I’ll be more at ease if I go with you.”

“…That’s too harsh, don’t you think?”

“Have you ever kept your promise to come back after just one day?”

“…I have.”

“You haven’t.”

…Maybe he’s right.

Hayden’s memory was sharper than mine. In the future, he even had Blier follow me if he couldn’t come himself.

Still… I thought he’d be happy to hear I didn’t want to go. But instead, he doubted me.

“Sir, just be honest. A month ago, you begged me for time off—saying if I didn’t let you, you’d run off to the frontier. You even threatened not to return. How can someone who wanted that party so badly suddenly lose all interest?”

“…It can happen.”

I’d already enjoyed that graduation once. Three days of drinking, playing, and passing out… Fun, sure, but not something I wanted to repeat.

But Hayden clearly didn’t believe me.

“There must be some scheme…”

He muttered, eyes narrowing.

“Come to think of it… you debated whether to rest the day of the graduation, or the day after. So… did you finally decide the day after?”

“That’s not it. I just—”

“Everything you think ends up that way.”

“Ugh, damn it. I said it’s not like that!”

“…What?”

Oops. That habit of mine—cutting people off with curses—slipped out.

Hayden looked stunned, mouth open.

I glared at him to hide my embarrassment.

“How many times do I have to say it? I only want to go alone so I can leave early!”

Grumbling, I finally made him sigh in defeat.

“…Fine. Arguing is pointless. Let’s do it your way. But—we’ll still attend together.”

“Why?”

“At least one dance.”

“What? You’re ridiculous.”

That was the most absurd thing I’d heard all day.

“How can you only dance once? One song turns into an hour, an hour into dinner. By then, leaving is impossible!”

“If you go back immediately without a partner, people will gossip. Didn’t you just break up with Sir Pelius last month?”

“…Pelius? Oh, right. That giant carrot guy?”

I clapped my hands, and Hayden couldn’t hold back a curse—far harsher than mine.

Hearing him swear, I almost laughed. Yes, this was really the past Hayden. In the future, he had turned into such a gentleman.

And now here he was, muttering obscenities, even digging at his ears like he was annoyed.

“Sir. I don’t care about your tastes or the pet names you use with lovers.”

I only smiled sweetly and refilled his tea.

Ah, right. Pelius. He had been a decent man, but right now romance wasn’t possible.

“That’s too bad,” I murmured softly, pouring tea as naturally as breathing. Hayden froze.

…Had I ever treated him this kindly before?

Pretending not to notice, I set down the teapot.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Rumors about us are already plenty. One more won’t change anything.”

“…So you plan to use me as an excuse to slip away?”

“Would any other name work? I’ll be busy from early morning, after all.”