Falling To Paradise

“Here?”

 

Aiden looked bewildered.

 

“The room is spacious, and we can hear the music pretty well.”

 

Anje smiled as she pointed out that they wouldn’t have to worry about bumping into others while they danced.

 

Without hesitation, he responded,

 

“Sounds good.”

 

Aiden gently took her hand, which gleamed white under the moonlight, as if it were a delicate snowflake that could melt at any moment. When he stood up, the melancholy that had shadowed him earlier was nowhere to be seen.

 

“By the way, can you even dance?”

 

“Well enough.”

 

Anje exaggerated a sigh of relief.

 

“Thank goodness. I thought it would hurt a lot if you stepped on my feet.”

 

“I think you’re underestimating me. I might not be as skilled as you, but I’m no clumsy oaf.”

 

He denied it so earnestly that she laughed and threw him a challenge.

 

“Alright, here’s a test. What’s the song playing now?”

 

“This song…”

 

He listened closely to the music for a moment before answering correctly,

 

“It’s a Ländler.”

 

Originating from a small kingdom slightly removed from the Albion Empire, it was a traditional folk dance farmers used to enjoy.

 

In recent years, a faster, more elegant version of the imperial Ländler had gained popularity across all classes.

 

“Well done, Sir Aiden. As a reward, you’ve earned the opportunity to be my partner.”

 

TL/N: YESSSSS

 

They clasped hands and, shoulder to shoulder, began moving across the room. Luckily, they had rented the largest room in the inn, so they glided smoothly without hitting any walls after just a few steps.

 

Then, holding both hands, they twirled back toward the bed in perfect sync.

 

“You’re quite good at this.”

 

“I’m honored to receive such praise from the flower of the high society”

 

Anje, now doing a series of spins on her own, didn’t have a chance to reply right away. When she finally finished and resumed dancing, she answered with a self-deprecating tone.

 

“More like a wilted flower.”

 

Her position in society wasn’t what it once was. When she returned to the capital, flies and mosquitoes would flock around her instead of bees and butterflies.

 

Aiden twirled her once more, disagreeing as he passed her.

 

“Wilted? Why would you say that… You’re as fresh as a summer plum.”

 

Their faces came closer and farther apart with the rhythm. Anje, who had briefly felt down thinking about society, couldn’t help but giggle at his odd expression.

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“The word ‘plum’ reminded me of the face you made when you ate a sour one.”

 

Thinking of his face scrunching up from biting into an unripe plum, she felt like she could laugh off anything that might happen in high society.

 

“I should’ve let you try it too, but my acting was too poor to hide it.”

 

“Being a poor actor is one of your virtues, Sir.”

 

“Now it’s your turn to clap”

 

Clap, clap, clap, clap―

 

As Aiden stood in place, clapping to the rhythm, Anje grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands, hopped around him. The fluttering fabric swayed from side to side in time with her hands.

 

Unable to take his eyes off her, he unconsciously let out an exclamation of admiration.

 

“As I said this morning, it really… suits you very well, that dress.”

 

Anje, who had been dancing with excitement, stopped in her tracks. Her already flushed cheeks turned even redder.

 

“Mr. Pierre did a great job with it. It’s a beautiful dress, isn’t it?”

 

“Of course, the dress is beautiful.”

 

Aiden replied, his voice almost in a trance.

 

“But I think it shines even more because you’re wearing it.”

 

For a moment, Anje was speechless. His tone was too sincere for her to brush off with a joke, but it felt too embarrassing to accept it with a simple ‘thank you.’

 

TL/N:

 

 

After a long, awkward silence, she finally found her words.

 

“We should keep dancing. It’s your turn to move.”

 

“Ah, my apologies.”

 

He should have been spinning around her earlier, but his distracted mind had caused him to miss the entire sequence.

 

“It’s fine. Let’s just wait a moment, then… one, two, three, now.”

 

They resumed dancing, their steps and hands moving in perfect harmony with the playful yet lively rhythm. It felt like they had rehearsed this dance many times before, moving effortlessly together.

 

However, despite her calm exterior, Anje’s mind was in turmoil. She had expected him to fumble a bit, but instead, he danced perfectly. And each time their eyes met, he gave her a shy smile.

 

The thought of how charming he was made her heart race. She felt pressure to say something to cover up the sound of her pounding heart.

 

“Um, by the way, I want to enter my crops into the contest next year.”

 

She blurted out the first thing that came to mind, worried that her sudden topic might seem silly. But Aiden simply nodded.

 

“I’ve been thinking the same. Your tomatoes and corn grew exceptionally well. How about growing pumpkins next year?”

 

The compliment on her farming skills reignited her excitement, and she momentarily forgot the possibility that she might not be around next year.

 

“Pumpkins, huh… I like that idea. Oh, and how about you enter the needlework contest”

 

“You’re teasing me now, aren’t you?”

 

“I’m not! I’m serious. Your crochet work was good enough to impress Aunt Meg, wasn’t it?”

 

Though she insisted it was genuine, her voice carried a playful tone. The thought of him submitting his work among bonnet-wearing ladies was just too amusing.

 

Rather than twirling her gently under his arm, Aiden suddenly lifted her into the air and spun her around, making her laugh in surprise. It was his subtle form of revenge.

 

“If I must compete in handicrafts, I’d rather enter the woodworking contest”

 

“Woodworking? You can make furniture too?”

 

“Of course. If you live alone on a farm, you have to know how to do that sort of thing.”

 

“Next time…”

 

“You want me to show you? I was planning to do that anyway.”

 

He was thinking of making a new chair for her, as she liked to sit in old rocking chairs.

 

He had been thinking of making a new chair for her, knowing how much she liked sitting in that old rocking chair. He would use the old chair for himself, placing her new one right beside it. How wonderful it would be to sit side by side in their chairs, sipping tea in the cool breeze and warm autumn sunlight.

 

“That sounds wonderful.”

 

Taking her final light step of the dance, she paused to catch her breath.

 

It wasn’t the dancing that had tired her out; her stamina had improved recently thanks to all the running she had been doing. It was the joy of the moment that filled her chest.

 

The faint music playing in the distance, the unusually bright moon tonight, and Aiden’s steady hand and arm that held and supported her all contributed to the fullness she felt inside.

 

“Aiden.”

 

“Yes, Anje.”

 

Having called out to him, Anje hesitated, unsure of what to say next. She wanted to express the feelings she had right now, but she was afraid of what those words might lead to. In the end, she offered a half-truth.

 

“As I said after receiving the award earlier, thank you for everything.”

 

“I’ll say it again—there really isn’t much to thank me for… Oh, the next song is a waltz.”

 

The band, having caught their breath, began to play the next song. It was a waltz that felt a bit slow, likely intended to cool down the atmosphere and bring the evening to a gentle close.

 

They naturally took up the waltz position, one hand holding the other, the free hands resting lightly on each other’s torsos.

 

“Not much to thank you for? It was your suggestion that got me into the contest in the first place… You helped me bathe Pa-Pi-Pu, taught me how to raise the pigs, and…”

 

Anje had so much to say that it felt like she could go on forever, but she decided to keep it short, fearing the conversation would never end.

 

“You helped me adjust to life on the farm, even though I was rude to you when we first met.”

 

“I didn’t really find you rude…”

 

Aiden started to protest but then looked at her. For some reason, she seemed serious, as if she wanted him to be honest with her.

 

“Well, maybe just a little rude… To be honest.”

 

“Right? I would’ve thought so too if I were you.”

 

Back then, she had believed she was the most unfortunate person in the world. Because of that, she hadn’t tried to see or understand Aiden’s feelings at all.

 

But looking back now, she realized how her sudden intrusion into his peaceful life must have been uncomfortable for him. She was someone who came from a completely different world, with a mindset so foreign, likely bringing back unpleasant memories for him.

 

“But I didn’t handle things well either. I should’ve treated you more maturely. Instead, I expressed my negative emotions so openly… I must have hurt you. I’m sorry.”

 

He wondered if they would have been closer by now if they hadn’t started off with such a terrible first impression.

 

Aiden lost in futile thoughts, let out a faint, bitter smile. What was the point of regretting the unchangeable past?

 

All he could do now was do his best to make their future as happy as possible.

 

“Why are you suddenly apologizing? I’m the one who should be saying sorry and thank you.”

 

“No, I was lacking in many ways, especially…”

 

He paused and took in their current situation: the moonlight streaming through the window, the leisurely waltz playing in the background, the roses in the vase filling the room with their rich scent.

 

And Anje, moving lightly in his arms, completely following his lead. She seemed happy that he had acknowledged her feelings.

 

‘Now is the moment.’

 

* * * *

 

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