TMLLT 21

Chapter 21

“Is That a Word for Me?”

If the superstition that making a wish while experiencing the first snow brings the wish to fruition was true, then this was quite an important opportunity.

If we could exchange a wish with a high probability of coming true, it would be a great chance.

I didn’t like missing chances I could seize.

I arrived at the mailroom and started thinking about who I could share the first snow with.

‘Who could it be?’

For some reason, Royce kept coming to mind.

I thought of others, but somehow my thoughts kept drifting back to him.

‘Why?’

Hmm.

Maybe my subconscious was pointing to Royce as the most rational person to share this with.

I hadn’t decided what wish I’d ask him to make yet, but…

I decided to trust my subconscious and sent him a message.

Message from Serdin: “Senior, do you have time tomorrow?”

I sat in the mailroom, waiting for Royce’s response for a few minutes.

‘I’ll wait for about fifteen minutes. If there’s no response, I’ll…’

Message from Royce: “When should we meet?”

To my surprise, Royce’s reply came in just 30 seconds.

I quickly sent him the time and location.

A little while later, I was out and ready, headed to the city center where the first snow would be visible.

I was dressed in a thick white coat, woolen arm warmers, and earmuffs.

It might have been a bit too much for early winter, but it was better than catching a cold.

Once I stepped outside, I was relieved to find it even colder than I expected, which meant my outfit was just right.

Royce appeared in a black coat, contrasting with my white one.

He had also come prepared with arm warmers and gloves, as if he anticipated the cold.

Serdin: “Royce, what should we do now?”

Royce: “Let’s walk for a bit.”

“Enia-senpai said it would snow today.”

“Snow?”

“She said it’s the first snow. They say if you make a wish with someone during the first snow, it will come true.”

Hearing this, a smile spread across Royce’s face.

From the look on his face, it seemed like he was glad to be a rational person to exchange wishes with me.

‘I need to make sure to wish for something really good.’

We walked along the stream that ran through the capital.

It was pretty cold, but being outside at the moment the first snow fell seemed like it would increase the chances of our wish coming true.

Since we were going to believe in this superstition, we might as well do it right.

As we walked along the stream, I started talking about the pain I had felt as the class representative.

I told him I understood why Ariel, the spring semester representative, had been so distressed.

While I was talking, Royce handed me something.

“Serdin, here.”

It was his leather gloves. I had dressed warmly, but I hadn’t brought gloves.

Royce must not have trusted my outfit.

After all, I had caught a cold once before, so it made sense.

My hands were slightly red from the cold.

I took the gloves from him without saying a word.

Serdin: “They’re a bit big.”

I stretched out my hands, showing Royce that the gloves were a bit loose.

He stared at my hands, then placed his palms over mine.

“?”

“The sizes match. That’s interesting.”

“Of course, they’re your gloves.”

Royce folded his fingers around mine, wrapping them gently.

The gloves were indeed a little bigger than mine, just enough to accommodate his fingers.

I stared at him as he folded his fingers to cover my hands.

‘What is he doing?’

In the middle of trying to interpret his actions, a white snowflake landed on his hand.

Royce and I both looked at the snowflake at the same time.

“Ah.”

It was the first snow of the year.

We still hadn’t decided what to wish for.

Serdin: “Royce, wish for me. Anything, just wish for something that’ll make me succeed.”

I quickly said.

Royce: “Okay.”

“I’ll make a wish for you too.”

I closed my eyes, thinking about what kind of wish would help Royce.

‘What should I wish for him?’

Practical wishes didn’t come to mind. He had probably already achieved something like becoming a rich person, right?

After thinking for a while, I decided to just wish for something I truly hoped for him.

‘Please, let Royce be happy even a few years from now.’

As the protagonist of a tragic story, he might face emotional wounds in the future.

But I wished that no matter what happened, Royce would never get severely hurt and would always smile confidently, just like he did now.

When I finished my wish and opened my eyes, Royce was smiling playfully.

“Done?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of wish did you make to keep your eyes closed for so long?”

“A very sincere wish.”

Royce seemed quite moved by my words.

After all, having someone sincerely wish for you, no matter who they are, is a good thing.

“Aren’t you curious about what I wished for you?”

Royce asked with a mischievous smile.

“I’m curious, but don’t tell me.”

“Why?”

“Wishes don’t work if you tell them. Please tell me once it comes true.”

I was curious about what Royce wished for me.

‘Maybe it was easier for him to wish for something than it was for me.’

I didn’t have much, so I could just wish for something I lacked.

Royce nodded slowly, his lazy smile still on his face.

“Alright. I’ll tell you when it comes true.”

“I’ll wait too.”

I wondered what he had wished for, hoping it was something big—maybe wealth or fame.

Serdin: “Shall we head back now?”

Royce: “Already?”

Serdin: “Yes, you’re busy, right?”

Royce must have been very busy with graduation right around the corner. Even Enia, who usually didn’t wake up early, was active this morning.

Royce, who had to balance his knight duties, must have been even busier.

Serdin: “Shall we walk to the end of the road and then turn back?”

Royce pointed toward the end of the road.

“I can’t just turn back in the middle. I’m not that kind of person.”

We continued walking, and the snow kept falling lightly.

Snow collected on Royce’s black coat, forming a beautiful pattern, while my white coat had snow collecting on it too.

Serdin: “Tomorrow is the visit to Elche, right?”

Royce: “Yes.”

We were visiting the four royal knight orders, and the first stop was Elche.

Our conversation shifted to other topics as we walked.

We ended up discussing the 1,000 places one should visit before dying.

Royce: “I heard the flower colony by Lake Eldia is really beautiful.”

Serdin: “Really? I’m curious about it.”

Royce: “Everyone says it’s more beautiful than anything they’ve seen before.”

Royce stretched the end of his sentence, then added:

“Aren’t you curious to see it, Serdin?”

Serdin: “I am curious.”

Serdin: “But I think the view we saw back then will be even more impressive.”

“That day?”

“The one you showed me on my birthday.”

It was truly shockingly beautiful, like I was enchanted by every snowdrop flake in sight.

Even though other flower colonies were beautiful, I couldn’t imagine one that could surpass that.

Royce’s rare effort in creating that special scene also added to its worth.

Royce seemed to take pleasure in being recognized, smiling widely as he said:

“If you want, I can show you again.”

Serdin: “No, once is enough. I already remember it.”

As we continued talking, we reached the end of the road.

Through the snowflakes, I saw small red flowers blooming.

“Oh, this flower.”

I walked closer and bent down to sit, looking at the small red Elitia flowers. It was the flower my mother loved when she was alive.

I knew both its name and its meaning.

Serdin: “Do you know what this flower is?”

Since I knew Royce liked flowers, I asked if he knew its name.

Royce: “Elitia.”

Serdin: “How did you know?”

Royce: “Someone told me when I was little. It’s always been my favorite flower.”

It was rare for someone to know the name of Elitia, a flower few people knew.

Royce sat next to me, grinning.

Royce: “Do you know its meaning?”

Serdin: “No, I don’t know that.”

It’s rare for someone to memorize the meanings of every flower.

I opened my mouth to share the new knowledge with him.

Serdin: “The meaning of this flower is ‘unchanging love.’”

Royce tilted his head slightly, looking at me with joy.

A faint flower fragrance brushed against my nose as cold air swirled around us.

Royce gently wrapped his hand around my snowy hair.

His eyes sparkled, like the stars on a snow-covered field.

Royce: “Is that a word for me?”

What did he mean by that?

Serdin: “What does that mean?”

Royce: “What do you mean, it’s exactly what I said.”

I recalled our recent conversation.

I had said the meaning of the Elitia flower was ‘unchanging love.’

Royce asked if that was for him.

‘What’s the connection here?’

I thought through the logic of the conversation and asked what came to mind.

Serdin: “So, does that mean I like you?”

No way. He must have misunderstood.

A gust of cold wind blew as I spoke.

I imagined Royce would laugh it off and say, “No.”

Royce: “…Yeah, that’s right.”

But Royce answered without any doubt.

“You like me, Serdin.”

Serdin: “…?”

Our gazes met for a long time.

The biting wind brushed against my cheek as our eyes stayed locked.