Chapter 3
“It’s nice to see my childhood friend again after so long. Of course I’m happy.”
Kashiyar’s expression looked strange.
Happy, but also displeased.
“But meeting again like this, in such a rude way, ruins the joy.”
“I didn’t want to meet like this either,” he replied.
“Then you should’ve contacted me properly beforehand.”
Kashiyar didn’t answer. He only looked at me with a face that seemed to say, ‘Are you really asking because you don’t know?’
“This was a meeting to join two noble families together. Even if you are a duke, even if you were excited to see me again, you shouldn’t have behaved so rudely.”
I sighed softly at the end. My head already hurt thinking about how to explain this to Count Inklaway’s family and what excuse to give my parents.
“If I hadn’t done this…” Kashiyar bit his lip.
“If you hadn’t? What?”
He didn’t finish his words. His furrowed brows only showed his frustration.
“Ugh, really…” I almost screamed in annoyance, scratching my head roughly, but stopped myself. I smoothed my fallen hair back and took a deep breath.
“Forget it. What’s done is done.”
Yes, it had already happened. Nothing would change if I got angry. Better to spend my time thinking about how to explain that ‘there’s nothing between me and this duke’ in a graceful way.
‘Stubborn as always. He hasn’t changed one bit.’
That was another reason I gave up expecting answers from him. Kashiyar had always been like this as a child—quiet, saying only what he wanted. His looks might have changed, but inside, he was the same.
“…I’m sorry,” he finally said as I stood up. He tugged roughly at his shirt collar as if to release something stuck in his chest.
The scene oddly reminded me of when he caused trouble as a child, and I had to clean up after him while he sulked.
“You’re the same as ever,” I said, smoothing out his wrinkled collar with my hand. “You never could stand feeling frustrated.”
The familiarity drained the tension from me.
“Next time, don’t cause me trouble, alright?” I smiled faintly and let go.
But before my hand could fully return, Kashiyar grabbed it.
“Why did you forget?” he asked.
His red eyes looked down at me. In the past, when he was smaller, he always looked up at me with those big round eyes. Now, after eleven years, I had to look up at him.
I wanted to say, “Memories fade over time. Sorry I forgot, but I remembered quickly, didn’t I?”
But I couldn’t speak. His eyes reminded me too much of the past.
‘Noona!’ (Big sister!)
The memory of eleven years ago came back.
Strangers wearing the duke’s crest came to take him away. They grabbed nine-year-old Kashiyar’s hand roughly, like demons dragging a lamb back into hell.
‘Noona!!’ he cried, reaching out to me, his eyes filling with tears as the distance grew.
And I… just watched. I thought it wasn’t my place to interfere. Only when one of the men raised a hand to strike him did I run forward.
I cupped his tearful cheeks and told him something… though now, I can’t remember what.
Back in the present, staring into those same red eyes, I whispered,
“Memories fade with time.”
He frowned deeper, still staring. His gaze hadn’t changed since then.
“Sorry I forgot. But I remembered, right?”
Honestly, it didn’t matter much to me. Kashiyar was just the boy I once played with at my father’s request. I didn’t know why he suddenly came back after eleven years, asking me to remember him and scolding me for forgetting.
“…I see,” he said quietly, sounding disappointed.
I pulled my hand free with effort—it was much harder than when he had only taken my hair earlier.
“I should go home.”
“Weren’t you going to have dinner?”
“I was. But you scared off my partner, remember?”
“…”
“So now I have to report to my mother and get scolded.”
“…I’ll escort you,” he said after a pause.
Opening the veranda door, he waited like a perfect gentleman.
I almost laughed at the irony. He ruined my date and now wanted to escort me politely? But I decided not to stay upset. He’d already apologized.
“Thanks.”
After all, he wasn’t just the little boy I knew anymore—he was now a respectable duke. Better to stay on good terms as old friends than keep quarreling.
‘Ah, right. He’s a duke now…’
As I accepted his escort toward the carriage, I realized my mistake: I had been speaking to him so casually. Me, a mere viscount’s daughter, daring to talk down to a duke!
Inside the carriage, I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“So… how have you been?”
Kashiyar’s face twisted oddly, as if to say, ‘What’s wrong with you?’
“What’s this about?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you suddenly speaking so formally?”
“Well, you spoke politely to me. How could I not do the same?”
“Politely…?” His brow furrowed.
“Yes. So please forgive my earlier rudeness.”
He looked displeased, but I insisted. Nobles had strict hierarchies. As children, calling him ‘you’ was already rude enough. Now that he was a duke, it was even more improper.
“…Ha.” He gave a short laugh, crossing his legs.
“Just speak to me like before.”
“…What?”
“It’s uncomfortable otherwise.”
“Uncomfortable? You’d be uncomfortable if I spoke casually to you!”
“You did as a child.”
“That was because I didn’t know any better.”
He turned to me and said, “You don’t seem much more grown-up now.”
“I have grown up!” I snapped, flustered. “At least 20 centimeters!”
He chuckled. His sharp expression softened into a rare smile.
‘So he can smile.’
It looked so good on him, but it quickly faded.
“Please treat me as before. I didn’t come here to make things awkward for you.”
“So I should just do as you say, because you’re the duke?”
“No. I only ask because I want you to be comfortable.”
His face softened again with another faint smile.
“I humbly request it, so please grant me this.”
His polite tone almost made me laugh. I gave in.
“Alright then.”
At that, Kashiyar suddenly hid his face with his hand. But under his large palm, I could see the curve of his lips—he was smiling.
