TYWAUOM 03

Chapter 3

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

Sigh “Just give it to me.”

Ian snatched the handkerchief from Aisha’s hand and bent down to hold her face. With her cheeks firmly pressed, Aisha let out a small whimper.

He must have heard it at such a close distance, but Ian ignored it. With the crumpled handkerchief, he gently dabbed under Aisha’s eyes.

Though his hands were firm, the touch around her eyes was meticulous and soft. Thanks to that, her eyes soon returned to normal—aside from the redness.

‘…Ian is a kind person.’

Aisha murmured inwardly at his touch. Though he often seemed cold, in critical moments like this, he always showed warmth.

“Aisha, don’t cry. If our little lady cries, how can I act like a gentleman?”

Aisha firmly believed that Ian’s warmth was sincere. Even in the most difficult times after losing her parents, he had always smiled just for her. The hand that patted her back telling her not to cry, the gentle voice hiding his own sadness… The Ian from 15 years ago, etched into her memory, was someone who had warmth to match his beautiful face—like the sun that lights up the world.

‘I… I’ll love Ian forever. I mean it. So please, don’t be sad. Don’t cry, Ian.’

It was no surprise she had fallen in love with him from such a young age. Aisha had blindly followed Ian, and those feelings had naturally grown into affection.

And Ian had responded with warmth for over ten years. Even if brief, there were moments when he had expressed similar feelings. But something changed about three years ago… From a certain point onward, Ian began to grow cold, and before she knew it, he had become distant and icy.

‘…It started after the engagement talk, didn’t it?’

Aisha vaguely recalled when Ian’s attitude began to shift. It was when her father, Count Parden, had officially brought up the engagement during a nice lunch in the garden, inviting Ian and his sister.

That day, Ian had been smiling across from her—but in an instant, his expression had changed.

Just for a moment, but he looked as though he could freeze all the blooming flowers in the garden. Seeing that, Aisha had instinctively held her breath. It felt like her heart had dropped and rolled under her chair.

“Later… Let’s talk later, sir.”

A reluctant voice and an awkward smile. Seeing Ian avoid her gaze, Aisha had felt it: something was going to change between them.

“We’ve been meeting too often. I’ve gotten busier with work. I won’t be able to visit for a while.”

Her sad hunch had hit the mark. Ian slowly, but surely, began to change after that day. Aisha noticed it first, but even her family began to voice it soon after.

“That bastard Ian stabbed Father in the back. No—he betrayed us openly! Siding with the Duke, of all people!”

“Daniel. Father agreed to let it go. Don’t talk about this in front of Aisha.”

“Come on! Do you think hiding it changes anything? And it’s not just that. Aisha, be honest. Ian’s been cold to you lately, right? It’s not just in my head, is it? Yesterday, he danced twice with that girl from the Ruber family, even though you’re his partner. Did he even try to explain himself?”

Her family felt disappointed, and eventually angry, about Ian’s change toward Aisha. She tried to mediate things each time, but except for her father, their patience had long worn thin. The Parden family no longer even wanted to hear Ian’s name.

“Ian! You’re leaving the capital for six months… Is that true? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Do I have an obligation to tell you that?”

“W-what?”

“Anyway… I’m busy preparing for the trip, so I’ll go. And since it’s a vacation, I’d prefer not to receive letters every other day. I don’t want to read your trivial chatter from all the way over there.”

His words had grown sharp and cold—almost cruel. Yet Aisha smiled, suppressing her pain. She clung to the rare glimpses of warmth he sometimes still showed, remembering the boy who had smiled at her while she cried 15 years ago.

‘I promised I’d love him. Even if he says this now, he’ll hold me later. Ian is a kind person. I know he is.’

Over the years, her belief in him had deepened, becoming unshakable—almost like a faith. Just like a priest devoted to a goddess, Aisha was devoted to Ian.

“Ah…”

As if mocking her devotion, Ian kept pressing the handkerchief against her eyes. As the repeated motion began to sting, Aisha grabbed his hand with both of hers and muttered,

“I-I think that’s enough, Ian.”

“Yeah, right.”

Ian forcefully shook off her white hands. The rough motion made her hands fall away, and the handkerchief dropped to the floor. Aisha quickly picked it up, holding it with both hands like it was something precious.

And it was precious—this handkerchief embroidered with blue sage. She had spent several nights making it while praying for Ian’s health.

‘It’s been over seven years…’

Despite the years, the handkerchief was still clean. The edges were a bit worn, but it was obvious it had been well cared for. He had treasured it. She had wondered if he still used it—her heart now filled with warmth, her earlier tears forgotten.

“Th-thank you. I’ll wash it and return it.”

Aisha thanked him, forgetting that she had been crying just moments ago. Though he had grown cold, sometimes he still moved her deeply.

“Don’t bother.”

But before she could even finish her sentence, his cold voice cut her off. She looked up slowly to see his expressionless face. Ian glanced at the handkerchief in her hands like it was nothing.

“I have plenty of useless handkerchiefs like that. And looking at it now, it’s completely worn out. I don’t keep old things. So just throw it away since you used it last.”

His flat tone was frightening. Aisha wanted to ask if he remembered what that handkerchief meant, but she stayed silent. No matter what he said, it would hurt.

When she said nothing, Ian twisted his lips. He reached out and toyed with her earlobe—not with pressure like before, but carelessly, like he was handling something insignificant.

“While we’re at it, why don’t you throw away those cheap pearl earrings too? They look like pebbles from the street. Wearing them just reflects poorly on the Parden family’s taste.”

Those earrings had been a gift from Ian in return for the handkerchief. He had picked them out himself—there’s no way he didn’t remember. For the first time, Aisha looked at him with resentment.

‘Why are you getting worse? Why…?’

She thought she had endured enough of his coldness over the past three years. But after six months apart, he seemed even colder—almost twisted. He had always been distant, but now it felt like he was trying to hurt her.

“Ian. Why… why are you doing this? Why are you telling me to throw everything away?”

With a choked voice, Aisha questioned him. Ian gave a short laugh. He removed his hand from her ear and smiled faintly as he replied,

“Just because.”

“…”

“All this clingy, sentimental stuff… I’m sick of it.”

“…”

“It disgusts me just to look at it.”

Ian’s face, smiling like an angel, now stabbed her heart with every word. Aisha clenched her chest with both hands. Seeing the tears welling in her eyes, Ian turned away. As he walked toward the door, Aisha stood up abruptly.

“Don’t follow me. I never planned to run into you here anyway.”

Aisha stopped in her tracks. Without looking back, Ian walked straight toward the door and pushed aside the curtain.

But he couldn’t leave right away. Ian’s brow furrowed as someone stood in his way.