Falling To Paradise

Anje poked Aiden’s dimpled cheek with her finger. She, too, was smiling faintly like him.

 

“A good husband? For example, you?”

 

“Or how to avoid a husband like me.”

 

Anje laughed out loud and poked his cheek again.

 

“What’s wrong with you? You’re a decent husband, after all.”

 

Aiden lowered his voice, trying not to show how pleased he was.

 

“Decent? Not good?”

 

“Oh, fine. Yes, good. Let’s say you’re good.”

 

“There’s a big difference between ‘let’s say I’m good’ and actually being good…”

 

“You fool… Fine! Good! Are you happy now?”

 

As soon as she said it, it felt like she wasn’t just calling him a good husband, but confessing that she liked him. Anje quickly turned her head toward the roadside, hoping her face would seem flushed because of the reflection from her dress.

 

“Don’t be too nervous. Just be yourself. Even if you don’t try too hard to show your best side, Jean and Mary will like you.”

 

She felt his fingers on her hand, which had been resting on her lap. He had moved one of the hands that had been holding the reins to gently grasp her hand.

 

“Didn’t both I and Mrs. Meg grow close to you because of your natural self?”

 

Anje was startled, but she managed to maintain a composed demeanor as she asked,

 

“Wh-What’s with this hand?”

 

“It’s to cheer you up.”

 

She naturally recalled the time in town when she had held his hand. She had wanted to give him strength and cheer him up. She hoped he would remember that she was by his side.

 

Thinking that he must have held her hand with the same sentiment filled her heart with a warm breeze.

 

“I feel cheered up, really.”

 

Whether it was high society or Leslie, in the end, it was a place where people lived.

 

She just needed to listen carefully to what Jean and Mary had to say, compliment their home and cooking, and express gratitude for the invitation.

 

If someone visited Dilton Farm and behaved that way, she would be very pleased.

 

‘A few words and holding hands are enough.’

 

It was amazing how her thoughts could shift in a different direction.

 

‘Is it because Aiden is a special person, or is it because he…’

 

…might hold a special meaning for her.

 

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the carriage seat. As she quietly felt the carriage’s sway, she began to feel drowsy.

 

Aiden gently adjusted the reins so she wouldn’t notice.

 

“Let’s go slowly.”

 

Upon hearing his soft whisper, Wind and Dancer slowed their pace.

 

If possible, he wanted to arrive at their destination slowly, holding her hand like this for a bit longer.

 

TL/N: I’M STARTING TO TEAR UP….THEY ARE SO CUTE.

 

* * *

 

Anje held the envelope that Meg had delivered and went looking for Aiden. He was just coming out of the barn, checking on the sunflowers, when he saw her approaching and hurriedly closed the door.

 

“Aiden, another invitation has arrived.”

 

“Where is it this time?”

 

“I’m not sure. It’s a name I’ve never seen before, so you’ll have to check.”

 

She watched as he adjusted his messy bangs and opened the invitation to check its contents. Their first visit to the neighbors had been a great success. Both Miss Mary and Jean were delighted with the gifts Anje had prepared, and after enjoying a barbecue, they even toured the house together with the Penny couple.

 

‘Ah, so this is that famous marriage certificate.’

 

‘Yes, it’s proof that he went all the way to Francia to win her love.’

 

After that, favorable rumors about them spread, and the number of people in Leslie inviting Anje and Aiden increased significantly.

 

From the couple who ran the central store to the church pastor, the school principal, and the magistrate, there were so many different people that Anje wondered if there were really that many residents in quiet Leslie.

 

Anje was pleased that her plan to help Aiden make friends was going well.

 

It was heartwarming to see that the people who had initially been wary of him were now recognizing Aiden’s worth and wanting to befriend him.

 

However, at the same time, she couldn’t help but worry that as his world expanded, her importance to him might diminish.

 

Anje scolded herself for her selfish thoughts.

 

‘That was the original purpose anyway. so don’t have such foolish thoughts, Anje. It’s not like you can stay by Aiden’s side forever.’

 

Of course, that didn’t mean they accepted every invitation that came their way.

 

Although Aiden had improved compared to before, he still showed signs of discomfort and awkwardness when meeting someone for the first time. He would slightly shake his legs or his lip muscles would stiffen.

 

These were subtle distress signals that others might not notice, but only she could detect.

 

Therefore, she carefully selected whom they would visit, consulting with Aunt Meg. She particularly hoped that no one around him would pry into his sensitive past out of rude curiosity.

 

In fact, she had once silenced a nosy passerby with the icy gaze she often used as the ‘Lady of Glasster.’

 

After examining the name on the invitation, Aiden handed it to Anje and explained.

 

“You know this person by face too. It’s Mrs. Elmer. Do you remember?”

 

“Oh, the one who gave us free cherries last time?”

 

She recalled the fruit vendor, who was a little older than her. A tall, slender woman who had given them cherries as a gift, saying she had too many left.

 

According to Mrs. Meg, there had been some commotion about her possibly getting a divorce from her husband, but since she was now inviting outsiders. Could that mean her issues were resolved?

 

“If it’s her, I think it might be nice to meet her. We can thank her for the cherries, too.”

 

Since a whole box of cherries was too much for just the two of them, they had also made tarts with the leftovers.

 

She opened the envelope and looked at the contents of the letter.

 

“Oh, it’s not an invitation to come over to her house.”

 

“Then?”

 

“There’s going to be a gathering of the women’s association during lunchtime on the day of the festival, she’s asking if I’d like to join them. I guess they’re going to make food or drinks and give them out for free.”

 

Since Meg and several other Leslie women were coming, Anje thought it might be a good opportunity to get closer to them and improve public opinion about Aiden.

 

Anje positively evaluated Mrs. Elmer’s proposal and asked Aiden.

 

“How about it? I want to join in too, is that okay?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

After thinking for a moment, he replied firmly.

 

“Well, I would rather you not participate…”

 

“Why? Could be that you don’t like Mrs. Elmer?”

 

If it was someone he felt uncomfortable around, she wanted to know so she could be cautious. Aiden avoided her gaze and mumbled in a somewhat sulky tone.

 

“We agreed to go to the festival together, didn’t we? If you’re at the women’s association, I’ll be left alone.”

 

Anje was taken aback by his unexpected response.

 

“It’s only going to be a couple of hours. You can meet with Mr Penny or others during that time.”

 

“…I wanted to spend the whole day with you. I guess you don’t feel the same way?”

 

He completely turned his upper body away, clearly showing his disappointment.

 

“W-We see each other all the time. We go everywhere together like a pair of socks. Is it really necessary to spend the entire festival day together?”

 

“Festival days are special, unlike regular days. There’s a circus, performances… But if you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

 

Anje watched with wide eyes as he walked away. His shoulders, which had been straight and rectangular, were now drooping in a semicircle, and his head was bowed.

 

It was as if his whole body was protesting, saying, “I’m hurt.”

 

“W-Wait!”

 

Before she realized it, she was tightly grasping his one arm with both hands.

 

“…Alright. I won’t join the women’s association, so let’s just spend the whole day together.”

 

“Really?”

 

Aiden turned to her, his face filled with a wide smile. Only then did Anje realize that he had been pretending to be upset. She glared at him.

 

“Are you seriously being this childish?”

 

Whether she was annoyed or not, Aiden, having achieved his goal, pressed her for a clear promise.

 

“From the beginning to the end of the festival, it’s just the two of us, right?”

 

He held out his pinky finger, The dimple on his cheek deepened by an inch.

 

“Promise.”

 

Muttering to herself, ‘Oh, how unbelievable’, she reluctantly wrapped her pinky around his.

 

“Alright, I promise.”

 

Only after their fingers were firmly linked did Anje realize that this was the first time they had promised to go out together alone like this.

 

It almost felt like… a secret date between lovers, the kind she had read about in popular novels or heard of in town…

 

But no, it wasn’t like that. We are already going to the festival together anyway. Making a promise like this didn’t really change anything.

 

Regardless of her mixed feelings, Aiden smiled broadly enough to show all his teeth.

 

“You know the saying that if you don’t keep a promise made with a pinky swear, you end up in a bad place, right?”

 

“I-I’ve abandoned religion a long time ago. A bad place is already reserved for me anyway.”

 

She tried to resist with all her might, but her flushed face was of no use. His smile only grew wider.

 

“You’re embarrassed.”

 

“I’m not embarrassed!”

 

She let go of his finger and ran away.

 

‘Aiden, of all people.’

 

His smiling face was so handsome that it made her angry. And yet, she couldn’t help but be flustered by his face.

 

* * * *

 

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