It was an ambiguous situation.
Somehow, Erin and Aiden ended up overhearing Logan and Isabella’s conversation.
Initially, they intended to walk away, but Aiden held Erin back, indicating that he wanted to listen to the conversation.
It was a natural thing for Aiden to want; after all, he had been a part of the stories between Logan and Isabella since he was very young.
Just like Erin and Aiden, and Leo now.
Thinking that Leo would want to know about the two’s stories later, Erin also wanted to listen to the conversation with Aiden.
So Erin, holding Leo in her arms and tightly grasping Aiden’s hand, listened together with him.
Throughout their eavesdropping, the struggles that the two had faced in their younger days became apparent.
They thought they knew the story well, but it turned out they were full of things they didn’t know.
By the time the conversation between the two adults ended, Aiden seemed calm.
“Shall we go back now?”
Erin gestured, thinking it was fortunate they could leave now, and Aiden slightly nodded in agreement.
But then, suddenly,
“Wahhhh!”
Leo, who had been quiet, burst into tears without warning. There was nothing they could do about a child crying without a sign.
Naturally, Logan and Isabella heard the noise and became aware of their presence.
“Uh…?”
An awkward silence followed their exchanged glances.
It was then—
“Waaah!”
Leo, who had briefly paused, resumed his wailing, making his presence known.
At the same time, Logan approached and naturally picked up Leo.
As he lightly tapped Leo’s bottom, trying to soothe him, Leo stopped crying as if he had never started, and grinned.
Only after that did Logan slowly start to speak to Aiden.
“Aiden.”
A calm yet deliberate voice flowed from Logan’s mouth.
“I was foolish back then.”
Looking back, the Logan of those times was too young.
It had taken him far too long to realize that what he thought were the best choices were actually the worst.
And it was Isabella and Aiden who had to endure the hard times because of those choices.
It was a guilt he could never erase.
“I’m sorry.”
It was a heavy sincerity that overshadowed everything else.
“I was truly sorry.”
Logan once again apologized to Aiden for the wrongs during his younger days.
Although I had expressed it to Aiden before, I always felt it wasn’t enough.
No matter the circumstances, fully understanding and forgiving is often too difficult.
“It’s all my fault.”
“……”
Amid the low but piercing sorrow of the apology, Aiden was engulfed by emotions different from those of his childhood.
To say there wasn’t a bit of bitterness left in Aiden’s heart would be a lie.
However, now that he knew the depth of his innermost feelings, it resonated with him differently than before.
Aiden’s gaze shifted to Leo, comfortably cradled in Logan’s embrace.
It turned out that what Aiden had once been envious of was the result of practice meant for a younger Aiden.
Leo, who seemed fine in Logan’s hold, became restless and began to squirm.
Before long, on a mat prepared by the maids, Logan carefully set down Leo.
The corners of Aiden’s mouth gradually lifted.
“It seems I’ve become a father after all.”
With that single sentence, Aiden expressed everything.
His face looked relieved.
A single phrase was enough. Enough to express Aiden’s feelings, enough for mutual understanding.
Erin almost teared up at the sight but managed to hold back.
It seemed there was no end on the path to understanding each other.
There is always something unknown about the other, something new to learn.
Now that Logan and Isabella had become grandparents, they harbored different emotions and thoughts than when they were simply parents.
Erin and Aiden, just starting out as parents, were facing many challenges and learning, spontaneously coming to understand emotions they had never felt before.
By becoming parents, they had come a little closer to understanding a parent’s heart.
So Aiden and Logan were taking another step forward, as were Erin and Isabella, watching on.
And it was at that moment.
“Ah? Little Leo is up!”
At Mona’s joyful exclamation, all four turned their gaze to Leo.
Leo, who had been crawling on all fours, took strength into his legs and lifted his hands from the floor.
There he stood, a bit wobbly, but with a look of proud defiance.
“Wow…!” Everyone was overwhelmed with emotion, not knowing quite how to react.
“We must record this moment right away…” Logan muttered, the person you’d least expect to say something like that.
“Call the painter. Right now.” And as if it was arranged, Aiden continued.
While the servants were hastily moving to call the painter, Leo didn’t just stop at standing on his two feet but even tried to take a step forward.
However, it’s not easy to leap over two stages at once. Leo’s body started to wobble.
Erin, surprised, hurriedly stretched out her arms, but Leo was already floating in the air.
“Our Leo. Amazing.” Aiden swiftly caught Leo as he started to tumble and turned towards Erin.
Leo, having stood up for the first time, was so pleased he burst into giggles.
“Gah! Gahahaha!” His laughter was like a starting signal, prompting everyone present to burst into laughter too.
The joyous sight, with everyone laughing just at the sight of each other, was quietly being captured by the painter, who had arrived a little late.
“Soon, Leo will be running around this place.”
“Yes.”
“Everything is a new experience.”
From Leo standing tall for the first time to walking and even running, everyone was making progress little by little.
And they would continue to move forward to new things without stopping.
An unpredictable future lay ahead, but Erin’s heart fluttered with excitement rather than fear.
At that moment, while in Aiden’s arms, Leo, who had been staring intently at Erin, suddenly reached out his arms toward her.
“Do you want to come to mommy?”
Erin smiled lightly and immediately swept Leo into her embrace.
Once in Erin’s arms, Leo wiggled around and then buried his face against her stomach.
“Leo?”
Leo giggled with his mouth moving as if he was saying something.
But it was impossible to understand what he was saying.
“What does our Leo want to tell mommy?”
Erin met Leo’s gaze and tilted her head quizzically. However, Leo just kept grinning.
So Erin just hugged the child a little tighter.
Then, Leo reached out his short arms and embraced Erin tightly.
Centered around Erin and Leo, Aiden, as well as Logan and Isabella, came closer.
“It’s almost time now,” Mona softly announced.
“Is it that time already?”
There was a dinner party scheduled for today. Looking up at the sky, I saw that the sunset was gradually setting.
“We can’t keep our guests waiting since we invited them.”
Isabella spoke and took the lead. We all headed towards the inner part of the garden.
There, a table had been set for the evening dinner.
Noisy, lively sounds came from the end of the garden, and then familiar faces appeared.
“We’ve arrived.”
“We’re here too.”
Princess Julia and Princess Angelina, who had agreed to join us for this evening’s dinner, had arrived.
It was a day to be with precious people.
“You two look even better.”
“Bella. You seem more at ease yourself.”
Princess Isabella and Princess Angelina immediately began chatting cheerfully upon meeting each other.
Julia went straight towards Leo.
“Leo. It’s your sister Julia. May I hold you?”
“Of course, you may.”
Erin readily helped Julia to hold Leo.
Julia, with experience caring for her younger siblings, held Leo securely.
She then slowly walked around the garden, looking at Leo.
Erin suddenly found herself gazing at the scene before her as if it were a watercolor painting.
Isabella and Angelina were happily exchanging greetings, and the Countess Charte, who arrived a little later, was laughing brightly as if she had returned to her girlhood. Beside them stood Logan, protectively near Isabella, and Brody, who seemed shy, rolling his eyes.
As they awkwardly exchanged greetings, Count Charte smoothly approached and began to lead the conversation.
The sounds of their chatting were as pleasant to hear as birds chirping, and the serene atmosphere even soothed the heart.
Without realizing it, Erin turned her head to the side.
Aiden wasn’t in the scene, but as naturally as if he had always been there by her side, he appeared in her view.
“Aiden. I have a confession to make.”
“What’s it?”
“I’m really happy.”
“…….”
Aiden momentarily froze.
“Thank you.”
“I’m really glad that being together with you makes me happy.”
Aiden always felt excited, joyful, and happy because of Erin.
Thus, he always harbored a wish in a corner of his heart.
That Erin too would find unparalleled happiness in being with him.
“You are always my first.”
No matter how much he loved Leo, Erin was the one he loved and cherished the most.
Erin smiled brightly.
A day as a year.
A year as a day.
Such were our days, waiting to be built up, one by one.
