A sudden voice startled me, and I nearly stumbled, but I quickly regained my balance.
“Your Grace?”
Had Raynan been out on my balcony before I noticed him? He was standing quite close, watching me intently.
No, it wasn’t just close. He had one foot on the railing, as if he might cross over to my side at any moment.
“That’s dangerous. You really shouldn’t stand like that.”
Raynan lowered his foot and coughed awkwardly before speaking. Then he turned to look straight ahead.
“Can’t sleep?”
“It’s still early. Besides, I took a nap earlier.”
“I see.”
Raynan, like me, leaned his arms on the railing and gazed at the sky. Watching him for a moment, I lifted my head too.
It felt like we were looking at the sky together, standing side by side.
The stars sparkled as if they filled the entire black sky. It seemed like I could catch them if I just reached out my hand.
Without thinking, I raised my hand and stretched it toward the sky. I waved it aimlessly, but of course, I couldn’t catch a star.
Still, it felt like stardust was slipping through my fingers, like sand pouring out of my grasp.
As I kept waving my hand in the air, mesmerized, I heard Raynan chuckle.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, nothing…”
Saying I thought I could catch a star felt too embarrassing, even for me.
Instead, I said something else, though it was true to how I felt.
“It’s such a beautiful place.”
“That’s why His Majesty liked it too.”
“Then why doesn’t he visit often?”
“Who knows? Maybe he wanted me to come here comfortably instead.”
Why have you never come here before?
The question lingered in my mouth, but I didn’t let it out. Somehow, it felt like something I shouldn’t ask.
“It feels so refreshing here.”
“Indeed.”
“I had a wonderful time. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“It was a necessary trip anyway. Now, even if we announce the engagement, no one will find it odd.”
Raynan didn’t look at me as he said this. Of course, I already understood, but it didn’t change the fact that I truly enjoyed myself.
“Still, I’m grateful. I really had fun. It’s the truth.”
When I spoke with a smile, Raynan glanced slightly in my direction but turned back to look straight ahead before our eyes could meet.
From where I stood, it was a picturesque sight. With the beautiful night scenery as a backdrop, his elegant side profile looked like it belonged in a painting. I couldn’t help but stare in a daze.
Maybe because I had suddenly gone quiet, Raynan turned his gaze toward me, and our eyes met.
“Ah.”
This time, I quickly looked away. I felt like I’d been caught sneaking glances at him.
Flustered, I started rambling without realizing it.
“It’s a shame we’re leaving soon. It’s so peaceful, so pretty, and it made me so happy…”
I trailed off before I could say anything more. Who knew what else might slip out if I kept talking? I closed my mouth before things got too awkward.
The ending of my words was clumsy, but the atmosphere around us was already awkward, so it didn’t seem to matter much.
Raynan didn’t respond to what I said. His silence felt a bit unsettling, so I turned my head slowly.
He was leaning on the railing with one arm, staring at me.
“Do you feel sad about leaving?”
He must have picked up on the important part of my rambling.
“Yes. I think I’ll remember this for a long time.”
“I see. Once things settle down a bit, I’ll bring you here again.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Edwin liked it here too.”
I didn’t know exactly how busy Raynan was, but I had a rough idea. Seeing Roman stumble around the estate with an exhausted, near-death expression for days made it clear.
Raynan always seemed buried in work, so his promise to return felt far from realistic.
But just hearing him say it made my sadness fade, replaced by a growing sense of anticipation.
“By the way, Your Grace.”
“Yes?”
“Can I make a request the next time we come here?”
“What is it?”
“I’ll ask if you promise to say yes.”
“I promise.”
Raynan answered without hesitation, neither angry nor troubled by my boldness.
His immediate, decisive response left me taken aback.
“What is it?”
“Well, um… could we skip the horse-riding lessons next time?”
At my cautious question, Raynan tilted his head, looking puzzled for a moment before letting out a soft laugh.
“Was it that hard?”
“…Yes. I mean, you called it a vacation, but then you made me take lessons. That’s just cruel.”
“I see. Fine. Next time, we’ll leave out the horse-riding lessons.”
“Wow! Thank you so much!”
No more horse-riding lessons if we came back—what better news could there be?
Maybe my excitement was too obvious. Raynan stopped smiling and began staring at me intently.
Feeling self-conscious under his gaze, I turned my eyes back to the sky.
Was Raynan still watching me? Or had he started looking at the sky like me?
In the silence, where even the sound of breathing felt absent, I focused all my senses on his presence.
As I tried to discern his movements, the surrounding sounds gradually came into focus.
The harmonious chirping of insects, the rustling of trees swaying in the breeze…
The natural melody seemed to make the beautiful scenery even more enchanting.
Everything was perfect.
The starlight that illuminated the darkness, the natural sounds reaching my ears, and the cool breeze wrapping around me.
Even the person sharing this moment with me was perfect.
Then, I heard Raynan move. He walked closer and leaned his arms on the railing.
After a moment of hesitation, I also took a step toward him.
“So, what stands out the most to you?”
“Hmm…”
It was a light question, but I couldn’t answer easily.
Breakfast together, the tea time in the meadow, the time by the lake—every moment we spent together was so enjoyable.
“It’s too hard to pick. What about you, Your Grace? What’s most memorable for you?”
“The boat.”
He answered without hesitation. It seemed the time we spent boating on the lake stood out to him the most.
That made sense. Raynan’s expression back then had been so relaxed and joyful.
“Oh, that was really great. The view from the lake was so beautiful, wasn’t it?”
“That’s true, but…”
It seemed his most memorable moment wasn’t just about the beautiful scenery or the peaceful time.
What could have made it so special for him?
“What else?”
Without thinking, I urged him to continue. But Raynan neither got upset at my prompting nor offered any further explanation.
He simply stared at me. As his gaze lingered, I started to feel puzzled. Then, slowly, Raynan reached out his hand.
Though I could have moved away from his cautiously approaching hand, I stayed still.
His movements were slow, but his touch was deliberate. However, just before his hand could reach me, he hesitated.
I couldn’t move. I simply kept watching him.
After a brief pause, his hand moved again.
In the blink of an eye, the back of Raynan’s hand touched my cheek.
The warmth of his hand spread across my skin, radiating from my cheek to the rest of my body.
I couldn’t even blink as I gazed at him, and Raynan, too, kept his eyes on me.
Half his face was shaded by his silver hair that had fallen forward.
Though I couldn’t clearly see his eyes, something about him felt different from usual.
Was it like the darkness that blanketed the world? Or maybe like the stars that sparkled within it?
The feeling was both dark and warm, leaving me confused.
I was mesmerized, unable to look away from him. Slowly, Raynan’s firmly closed lips curved upward.
Just then, a breeze blew, scattering his silvery hair. Without thinking, I reached out to smooth it down.
It felt as though stardust slipped through my fingers.
His hair shifted, revealing his eyes. His violet gaze, more mysterious than the night sky, held my reflection.
A strange sensation washed over me. Was I really reflected in Raynan’s eyes?
“Looks like you’ve been outside for too long. Your face feels cold.”
“Ah…”
Snapping out of my trance at his words, I quickly pulled my hand back in shock.
“S-sorry!”
“That’s not something one says to their fiancé.”
“I’m sorry—no, I mean…”
“Anyway, you should go inside. It would be a problem if you caught a cold.”
“Yes. Good night.”
“Rest well.”
After briefly stroking my cheek, Raynan finally withdrew his hand.
Only then could I move properly again. Without looking back, I hurriedly ran into my room.
I shut the window and drew the curtains before standing there in a daze.
“What just happened? What was that? I felt like I was under a spell…”
What on earth had that been? Why couldn’t I move? Why had I stared at him like that?
“No, more importantly… why did I touch his hair?”
How could I have dared to touch Raynan’s hair?
Looking down at my hand, I slumped to the floor. Though it was empty, I could still feel the texture of his hair as if it lingered on my fingertips.
Unable to do anything with my hands, I instinctively ran them through my own hair.
My hair was smooth and silky, yet it felt so different from his.
Even while touching my own hair, I couldn’t stop thinking about Raynan.
“This is bad. How am I supposed to face him again…?”
I buried my face in the bed, my voice trembling on the verge of tears.
****
Fortunately or unfortunately, I couldn’t fully enjoy the last day of the vacation.
It seemed I had caught a cold from spending too much time in the chilly breeze.
“It’s just a mild fever, so there’s no need to worry too much. A day or two of proper rest, and you’ll be fine,”
Carlson said to Raynan, having been called back after just a day.
“As expected, you must have been out in the cold for too long yesterday.”
Raynan crossed his arms and looked down at me. Beside him, Amelia’s lips twitched as if she had something to say.
She was definitely holding back the urge to tease me. The mischievous smile on her face was exactly what she wore before playing a prank.
Raynan must have sensed it even without looking, because he spoke before Amelia could.
“Save your unnecessary remarks. Amelia and Chase, you’ll have to keep Edwin entertained today.”
“Edwin has been worrying endlessly about Renee. Shall I tell him to stop by for a bit?”
“If he sees her lying in bed, he’ll just worry more. Didn’t you say she’d recover with a day of proper rest? Tell Edwin that.”
“Yes. Please also let him know not to worry about me and to just enjoy himself to the fullest,” I said.
Amelia nodded at my words, then turned to Raynan and asked,
“What about you, Your Grace?”
“Since it’s my fault for keeping her outside too long, I should take care of her.”
“Take care of me?!”
I wasn’t the only one surprised by Raynan’s statement. Amelia’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open as well.
Raynan nodded as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Yes. Do you object?”
“It’s not that I object, but…”
“Then it’s settled.”
It was clear this was going to be uncomfortable, but I couldn’t say that out loud.
For some reason, Raynan seemed very determined. That determination was evident in the question he directed toward Carlson.
“So, how exactly does one take care of someone?”
