Episode 3
“Oh—look at the decorations inside the mansion! Even just one jewel from that chandelier would sell for a lot…!”
Autumn wasn’t really listening to Huson, who was excitedly showing her around the mansion. She was half-hearing what he said, but her eyes were fixed somewhere else.
“Hm? Miss Kiss?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry. I was too distracted admiring this wonderful hallway.”
Her real attention was focused on the theater faintly visible across from the building. It shimmered like an illusion at the edge of her sight.
“We’ve arrived.”
While she was lost in thought, they had reached their destination.
“Ahem, this is it.”
“Oh, it’s the one next to it.”
Huson had mistakenly walked toward an open door, but quickly turned back and led her to the correct room, slightly embarrassed.
“Our master usually uses the library as his office.”
He tilted his head a bit as he explained.
“So this room isn’t opened often. You’re lucky today.”
Swoo—m. Autumn took a deep breath.
‘What kind of person uses this library?’
The air was filled with the scent of sun-dried books, drifting in from the library connected by just one door. It seemed they had aired it out for the visit.
Her future employer had chosen Rosaline, who had no acting experience, as the lead actress. He was not only her employer but also her future business partner.
And he was the owner of the biggest theater company in the capital.
A genius or eccentric, born into a family that seemed uninterested in theater.
Yet, despite everyone’s curiosity, no one knew much about him. His identity was tightly hidden.
“I’m going in.”
Knock knock.
While she hesitated, Huson entered through the slightly open door into the office.
He was in the middle of getting dressed, just slipping on a tight ash-grey jacket with the help of an assistant.
‘That man…’
Autumn couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp as she watched him.
It was a strange feeling.
Just by looking at him, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
‘They said he was young, but… this young?’
The words Huson had whispered earlier echoed in her ears:
“Our master looks absolutely stunning in clothes, doesn’t he?”
Her cheeks flushed from the very personal reaction.
‘They say his mysterious light-green eyes have a gentle brown hue in the center.’
Now that she saw them up close, she couldn’t look away. They were mesmerizing.
She wanted to keep looking.
Creak—
Autumn leaned a little closer, peeking again through the open door.
“Miss Kiss arrived just a moment ago…”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
He was buttoning his collar. Even from the side, he looked far more impressive than she’d imagined.
“You’re late again. You should’ve been busy since the morning! So many things to handle…”
Autumn stepped back slightly and watched the back-and-forth between him and his assistant.
‘Must be very busy…’
As the owner and director of a major theater, he likely had tons of responsibilities but still made time to meet her.
“I told you to prepare them in advance!”
“Enough.”
Despite having imagined a gentle man, he wasn’t exactly warm, but he didn’t seem entirely unfamiliar either.
His hands moved quickly and precisely as he tied a navy-blue cravat from a selection of ties—he seemed a bit rushed, maybe even irritated.
‘He looks like a lead actor himself with those smooth features.’
Just then, Huson called out to her, interrupting her thoughts.
“Miss Kiss, if you’d like…”
Huson looked back at her, a bit unsure.
Snapping out of it, Autumn fixed her dress and stood up straight.
“Just tell him I’ll be right in.”
“No need for that,” a voice replied.
Whoosh—
A breeze blew through the room, rustling his dark brown hair, slightly long and tousled.
Autumn stepped into the room, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Click, clack—
The sound echoed through the quiet office.
“I’m the one who asked to meet in your office.”
He glanced at the clock on the wall and spoke softly.
“Two o’clock.”
‘His voice… I can’t tell what he’s feeling from that tone.’
Autumn’s gaze moved slowly from his feet upward, observing him again.
“You’re a little early,” he said.
Now facing him fully, his face looked more stubborn and sharp than gentle.
Every small movement made her lips press together nervously.
She blinked slowly.
“Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”
But in that brief moment, she had seen something in his eyes.
A raw, unhidden expression… A kind of deep yearning she hadn’t expected.
“Ah!”
Caught off guard, Autumn looked away quickly.
Her heart was pounding unevenly.
‘No way. I must’ve seen it wrong. He wouldn’t look at me like that—we’ve only just met.’
“Is something wrong?”
His eyes were back to normal—calm and unreadable.
They were beautiful, but distant.
‘I can’t read him at all.’
“No… nothing.”
‘Men are always like this. Don’t expect too much, or you’ll only be disappointed.’
That’s what Inni always said.
Even the gentlemanly ones are just pretending. Deep down, they all have wicked thoughts about Rosaline Kiss.
But then—
“You’re an interesting person,” she said boldly, looking straight at him.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She slowly looked around the office.
“It’s not very friendly. You’re not trying to impress me, either…”
The office was completely closed off—quiet, cold, not a sound from outside.
Then Autumn noticed a flower vase.
‘Siberian Lily.’
The only colorful thing in the whole room.
Like the bright orange petals, she smiled widely.
“I like it.”
They were here to finalize the details of their contract. He was a natural businessman.
“I asked to meet here not as a guest, but as your partner.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
A moment of silence passed, then Autumn spoke again.
“I’m thirsty. Will your assistant be staying? I’d like to talk to you alone.”
“…Huson.”
At his call, Huson quietly left the room.
Finally, Autumn sat down on the leather guest sofa.
The man uncrossed his legs and looked straight at her.
‘So far, so good.’
But she hadn’t realized—her foot was nervously tapping against the floor, echoing in the quiet room.
‘Does he want me to bring up the main topic?’
Unable to stand the awkward silence, Autumn blurted out,
“So… shall we get to the point?”Episode 3
“Oh—look at the decorations inside the mansion! Even just one jewel from that chandelier would sell for a lot…!”
Autumn wasn’t really listening to Huson, who was excitedly showing her around the mansion. She was half-hearing what he said, but her eyes were fixed somewhere else.
“Hm? Miss Kiss?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry. I was too distracted admiring this wonderful hallway.”
Her real attention was focused on the theater faintly visible across from the building. It shimmered like an illusion at the edge of her sight.
“We’ve arrived.”
While she was lost in thought, they had reached their destination.
“Ahem, this is it.”
“Oh, it’s the one next to it.”
Huson had mistakenly walked toward an open door, but quickly turned back and led her to the correct room, slightly embarrassed.
“Our master usually uses the library as his office.”
He tilted his head a bit as he explained.
“So this room isn’t opened often. You’re lucky today.”
Swoo—m. Autumn took a deep breath.
‘What kind of person uses this library?’
The air was filled with the scent of sun-dried books, drifting in from the library connected by just one door. It seemed they had aired it out for the visit.
Her future employer had chosen Rosaline, who had no acting experience, as the lead actress. He was not only her employer but also her future business partner.
And he was the owner of the biggest theater company in the capital.
A genius or eccentric, born into a family that seemed uninterested in theater.
Yet, despite everyone’s curiosity, no one knew much about him. His identity was tightly hidden.
“I’m going in.”
Knock knock.
While she hesitated, Huson entered through the slightly open door into the office.
He was in the middle of getting dressed, just slipping on a tight ash-grey jacket with the help of an assistant.
‘That man…’
Autumn couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp as she watched him.
It was a strange feeling.
Just by looking at him, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
‘They said he was young, but… this young?’
The words Huson had whispered earlier echoed in her ears:
“Our master looks absolutely stunning in clothes, doesn’t he?”
Her cheeks flushed from the very personal reaction.
‘They say his mysterious light-green eyes have a gentle brown hue in the center.’
Now that she saw them up close, she couldn’t look away. They were mesmerizing.
She wanted to keep looking.
Creak—
Autumn leaned a little closer, peeking again through the open door.
“Miss Kiss arrived just a moment ago…”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
He was buttoning his collar. Even from the side, he looked far more impressive than she’d imagined.
“You’re late again. You should’ve been busy since the morning! So many things to handle…”
Autumn stepped back slightly and watched the back-and-forth between him and his assistant.
‘Must be very busy…’
As the owner and director of a major theater, he likely had tons of responsibilities but still made time to meet her.
“I told you to prepare them in advance!”
“Enough.”
Despite having imagined a gentle man, he wasn’t exactly warm, but he didn’t seem entirely unfamiliar either.
His hands moved quickly and precisely as he tied a navy-blue cravat from a selection of ties—he seemed a bit rushed, maybe even irritated.
‘He looks like a lead actor himself with those smooth features.’
Just then, Huson called out to her, interrupting her thoughts.
“Miss Kiss, if you’d like…”
Huson looked back at her, a bit unsure.
Snapping out of it, Autumn fixed her dress and stood up straight.
“Just tell him I’ll be right in.”
“No need for that,” a voice replied.
Whoosh—
A breeze blew through the room, rustling his dark brown hair, slightly long and tousled.
Autumn stepped into the room, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Click, clack—
The sound echoed through the quiet office.
“I’m the one who asked to meet in your office.”
He glanced at the clock on the wall and spoke softly.
“Two o’clock.”
‘His voice… I can’t tell what he’s feeling from that tone.’
Autumn’s gaze moved slowly from his feet upward, observing him again.
“You’re a little early,” he said.
Now facing him fully, his face looked more stubborn and sharp than gentle.
Every small movement made her lips press together nervously.
She blinked slowly.
“Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”
But in that brief moment, she had seen something in his eyes.
A raw, unhidden expression… A kind of deep yearning she hadn’t expected.
“Ah!”
Caught off guard, Autumn looked away quickly.
Her heart was pounding unevenly.
‘No way. I must’ve seen it wrong. He wouldn’t look at me like that—we’ve only just met.’
“Is something wrong?”
His eyes were back to normal—calm and unreadable.
They were beautiful, but distant.
‘I can’t read him at all.’
“No… nothing.”
‘Men are always like this. Don’t expect too much, or you’ll only be disappointed.’
That’s what Inni always said.
Even the gentlemanly ones are just pretending. Deep down, they all have wicked thoughts about Rosaline Kiss.
But then—
“You’re an interesting person,” she said boldly, looking straight at him.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She slowly looked around the office.
“It’s not very friendly. You’re not trying to impress me, either…”
The office was completely closed off—quiet, cold, not a sound from outside.
Then Autumn noticed a flower vase.
‘Siberian Lily.’
The only colorful thing in the whole room.
Like the bright orange petals, she smiled widely.
“I like it.”
They were here to finalize the details of their contract. He was a natural businessman.
“I asked to meet here not as a guest, but as your partner.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
A moment of silence passed, then Autumn spoke again.
“I’m thirsty. Will your assistant be staying? I’d like to talk to you alone.”
“…Huson.”
At his call, Huson quietly left the room.
Finally, Autumn sat down on the leather guest sofa.
The man uncrossed his legs and looked straight at her.
‘So far, so good.’
But she hadn’t realized—her foot was nervously tapping against the floor, echoing in the quiet room.
‘Does he want me to bring up the main topic?’
Unable to stand the awkward silence, Autumn blurted out,
“So… shall we get to the point?”
‘Damn it.’
It wasn’t the smoothest move, but—
“Pfft.”
A laugh broke the silence.
‘He’s… laughing?’
Just moments ago, he’d been completely unreadable. Now, Randel was laughing, covering his mouth with one large hand.
‘Damn it.’
It wasn’t the smoothest move, but—
“Pfft.”
A laugh broke the silence.
‘He’s… laughing?’
Just moments ago, he’d been completely unreadable. Now, Randel was laughing, covering his mouth with one large hand.
