Episode 2
“Try to tone it down a little, will you? No wonder people always call you a troublemaker.”
As soon as Daniel walked out, Aisha mumbled with a pouty face. Still, her voice carried no real blame or resentment, because she understood the concern behind her cousin’s harshness.
Letting out a deep sigh, Aisha sank comfortably into the couch. A cool breeze from the terrace connected to the lounge swept in, easing some of her stuffiness.
“I haven’t seen him in six months… and he couldn’t even send a reply. That mean Ian.”
Aisha muttered to herself while gazing out the window. She had told Daniel not to speak ill of Ian, but she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Though her head tried to understand the situation, her heart felt stifled and hurt.
“…Maybe I shouldn’t have come. He looked like he didn’t want me here.”
But as always, her feelings of disappointment didn’t last long. Aisha soon began to blame herself. Ian had clearly been displeased by her presence. Fearing his rejection more than anything, she couldn’t help but regret attending the charity party.
“Don’t you think it’s silly to say that after you’ve already come?”
Just then, a cold voice rang out from behind her. Startled, Aisha turned around.
“Ian?”
Leaning against the doorway stood the man she had longed to see for six agonizing months. When had he come in? Nervously avoiding his cold blue eyes, Aisha wondered if he had overheard her.
“Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue, Ian approached her in a few long strides. He took her chin in one hand and gently tilted it up.
The icy blue eyes she had only seen from a distance were now right in front of her. As if drawn by an irresistible force, Aisha slowly lifted her lowered gaze. Her cheeks, already flushed, turned a soft pink. Confirming her reaction, Ian smiled deeply and asked in a sweet voice:
“Aisha. Have you been well?”
Chapter 1: The Silver Arrow
The man smiling as he spoke looked just like an angel. His sculpted face glowed beneath brightly colored hair.
Aisha shifted her gaze from his smiling lips to his eyes. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled with anticipation, like a loyal puppy looking at its owner. Yet deep inside, she still carried tension and unease. Ian, noticing this, twisted his lips slightly.
‘Still the same.’
He found it amusing. Her flustered expression, wary of his sudden kindness yet not knowing what to do. Her expectant breath. Her flushed skin. It all felt foolish and pathetic.
And because of that, she was fun to play with. Ian smiled more deeply and let go of her chin.
“Not saying anything? It’s been six months since we last saw each other, hasn’t it?”
His long fingers brushed her cheek softly, then tapped it playfully. Startled by the sudden touch, Aisha flinched. Still, she didn’t pull away or turn her face.
“…I’ve been doing well.”
As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly, letting her long, light brown hair fall like a stream. Ian gently tucked her hair behind her ear. Her reddened ear peeking through the strands looked endearing.
Unconsciously, he touched the rim of her ear. But then, he suddenly stiffened and scanned her from head to toe.
Aisha was wearing a sky-blue dress that looked expensive. The lace at the sleeves and hem, adorned with tiny pearls, matched her delicate features and created a graceful image. Even the shoes peeking from beneath the dress were stunning—shiny blue with intricate embroidery, likely crafted by a master artisan.
Everything looked perfect—except for the pearl earrings on her ears. They were small and unimpressive, clearly of lower quality than the pearls on her dress. Though her loose hair partly concealed them, someone with a keen eye would easily notice.
‘…She still kept those?’
Those earrings had been a gift from Ian to Aisha a long time ago. Though they were real pearls, they had come from a cheap accessory shop and weren’t something one could show off. At the time, Ian had no title or wealth after losing his parents and was under the care of Count Parden. He had saved up over time just to buy those earrings.
‘Why wear something so unnecessary… annoying girl.’
Though it had made him happy back then, thinking about it now only irritated him. It felt pathetic—him saving every coin to buy such a worthless gift, and her still wearing it proudly.
“Well, that’s enough greetings. More importantly, why are you here?”
Ian’s voice turned icy in an instant. Aisha tensed again at his sudden change in tone.
“Ah!”
Flustered and unsure what to do, Aisha hesitated. Ian pressed her earlobe, where the pearl earring hung. The sharp pain made her flinch, but she didn’t resist or protest.
“I asked why you’re here. I’m sure I made it clear that you shouldn’t come.”
As he spoke, he continued to fiddle with her earlobe threateningly. Fearing more pain, Aisha quickly replied:
“I didn’t get a reply telling me not to come. Maybe there was some mistake. I checked every day… but I never got a letter from you.”
Aisha assumed Ian had written a rejection letter, telling her not to attend.
‘I’m sure he wrote back. I just never got it.’
Though the truth of his letter was disappointing, the thought that he had at least replied gave her some comfort. Of course he wouldn’t ignore her. She’d ask the maids to search for the letter once she got home. What kind of paper did he use? What ink? What was the seal? If it was from Ian, she’d treasure it no matter what.
“Of course. Because I never wrote to you.”
Her expectations shattered instantly. Aisha looked up at him with a confused expression.
“Then what were you talking about earlier…?”
“Sigh… This is tiring.”
Ian looked at her as if she were pathetic and sighed. Taking a step back, he crossed his arms and stood crookedly. His cold, blue eyes showed no warmth, and Aisha’s own sky-blue eyes trembled.
“Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“…”
“I didn’t respond to your letter asking to be my partner because that was my answer. It meant I didn’t want you to come. If I told you outright, you’d be hurt, wouldn’t you?”
It made no sense. Not replying to someone wasn’t considerate—it was rude. And saying that meant “don’t come”? That was absurd. But even though nothing he said was reasonable, Aisha couldn’t even bring herself to be angry.
“You knew about this charity party… I can’t believe you didn’t get the message. Tsk.”
Ian’s continued remarks brought tears to Aisha’s eyes as she bowed her head. Her small body trembled under the shadow of Ian’s tall frame.
When her face looked like she might cry at any moment, Ian’s expression twisted in annoyance. Why did she always make that face? She always seemed calm in front of others, yet in front of him, she looked like a child on the verge of tears.
“Why do you look like that? Did I do something wrong?”
That familiar expression triggered Ian’s temper. He was sick of it. Fed up. He snapped at her with a curt voice.
“Don’t cry. I was clear. You’re the one who didn’t get it. So why make me look like the bad guy?”
It sounded like he was scolding her. Knowing he was truly angry, Aisha shifted uncomfortably and moved slightly away. Though she was still within his reach, her small movement made Ian narrow his eyes, his expression turning sharp and threatening.
“…Sorry. I didn’t mean to cry.”
Not noticing his shift in mood, Aisha apologized and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. The delicate lace that fluttered gently before now scratched her skin painfully.
Despite her quick attempt to wipe her tears, her face remained wet. Watching her turn away to hide her crying, Ian reached out irritably.
His veined hand grabbed her slender wrist and pulled her toward him. Her eyes widened, filled with tears. Without meeting her gaze, Ian reached into his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief, dropping it into her trembling hand.
“Wipe properly. If Daniel sees you like this, he’ll nag me. Are you going to keep crying?”
“Ah… it’s okay. I have a handkerchief too.”
Staring blankly at the one he gave her, Aisha shook her head. She had brought her own. She didn’t want to stain his with tears. Especially that handkerchief, embroidered with blue sage… The faded look in her eyes softened with a hint of joy.
She fumbled to take out her handkerchief from her sleeve pocket, but her wrist was still held tightly. Watching her, Ian scowled and barked:
“Just use it. I went through the trouble of giving it to you. Don’t make me look stupid.”
