PWHHF | SS1

Side Story – Chapter 1

Marriage is a tremendous thing.

Agnes had always prided herself on knowing her favorite person better than anyone else.

However, after a few months of being married to Kylo, she realized she had been a frog in a well.

Others might consider it trivial, but for a devoted fan, she had discovered some rather important facts.

For example, Kylo liked yellow bell peppers but disliked red ones.

He loved dogs just as much as he loved cats. (She had secretly watched him smile while looking at a puppy wagging its tail.)

Up close, he had a small mole under his left ear.

Surprisingly, he was quite ticklish.

Every time she uncovered these seemingly useless details that only a fanatic would care about, Agnes felt an immense sense of joy.

According to the secret fan report she had been compiling, Kylo’s daily life had become significantly more peaceful compared to before.

Having lived a harsh life since childhood, he had probably never experienced such a leisurely period.

Sometimes, he would sleep in with Agnes. Other times, he would skip training because she coaxed him into going out with her.

In this peaceful routine, Kylo was changing little by little.

Each time Agnes noticed these subtle changes, she was deeply moved. Witnessing her beloved gradually transform under the warm sunlight of her affection was…

The biggest change was in his expression.

In the past, he had resembled a fierce stray cat. These days, however… he looked more like a well-loved, carefree pet cat.

His once-intimidating aura had softened considerably.

Perhaps because of that, people in high society no longer feared him as they used to. Some even greeted him warmly now.

Having Kylo all to herself made Agnes feel like every day was a gift. But…

Human greed knows no bounds. There was still something she regretted.

‘What was Kylo like as a child?’

Watching his every move in real time only made her long for the past moments she had missed.

For example… when he was a newborn, when he first started walking, when he was running around as a toddler, and every moment after that.

To soothe this lingering regret, she had even visited the Gray Manor, where Kylo was born and raised.

The Gray family had been exiled to the countryside, and the estate was now Agnes’s property.

Rather than demolishing it, she had turned it into the “Duke Kylo’s Birthplace” museum.

Not many people visited, but there were still some. (The most frequent visitor was, of course, Agnes herself.)

She had visited with Kylo and heard a few stories about his childhood, but…

Hearing about it and actually seeing Kylo as a child with her own eyes were entirely different things.

Though she felt a deep sense of regret, Agnes pushed those feelings aside.

After all, as a newlywed, she should focus on the happiness of the present rather than dwelling on the past.

One bright, sunny day—

Today was the day Agnes had been waiting for. It was Kylo’s birthday…!

Unlike last year, when it had been wasted away meaninglessly, this time was different.

For today, Agnes had meticulously checked Kylo’s schedule three weeks in advance.

She had once again arranged for a birthday advertisement like last year, but she absolutely had to prevent the disaster of Kylo being the only one who didn’t see it.

Since it was a special occasion, she abandoned her usual habit of sleeping in and was up early, bustling around.

She enlisted the maids’ help to dress up carefully, selecting her outfit with extra care. She couldn’t wear a flashy dress since they were going out, but she still made sure to look her best.

This year’s birthday plan was to see the birthday advertisement with Kylo and visit a birthday café.

That billboard was a must-see. Even for a member of the imperial family, securing a slot on that highly sought-after billboard was no easy feat.

For some reason, after last year’s incident, birthday advertisements on that particular billboard had become a trend. She had unintentionally started a craze.

Even birthday cafés had followed suit, making reservations for both the billboard and cafés much harder than last year.

‘Ugh, I just ended up making things harder for myself.’

In frustration, she had even looked into purchasing the billboard outright, but… unfortunately, that was impossible.

The owner of the building where the billboard was placed had flatly refused to sell it.

Most people didn’t know, but Agnes was aware that the building’s owner was none other than the Crown Prince. (She had confirmed her suspicion the moment she saw Diana’s birthday ad displayed there recently.)

‘That sly fox…’

Truthfully, if Agnes really wanted to, she could easily take ownership of that billboard.

If she spread rumors that the supposedly frugal Crown Prince secretly owned buildings under a different name…?

Owning property wasn’t a crime—nobles did it all the time.

However, Damian took great pride in his image of integrity and modesty. If such rumors spread, he would have no choice but to put the building up for sale immediately, albeit reluctantly.

But this time, she decided to let it slide. He had done something rather admirable, after all.

Apparently, he had even bought a yacht as a gift for Kylo’s birthday… Hmm… Since he had put in that much effort, she supposed she could overlook it this once.

Pulling her hood low over her face to avoid recognition, she stepped outside to find Kylo waiting for her.

To keep a low profile, Kylo had also dressed inconspicuously, but—

‘He’s dazzling.’

For some reason, even in his plain, dull-colored clothes, he stood out.

Was it because of his physique?

Well… with a body like his, even wearing rags would turn heads.

Agnes stared at his broad shoulders and chest as she walked toward him.

Kylo’s expression brightened the moment he spotted her. Seeing Agnes in her prettily dressed outfit with a hood pressed over her head must have looked cute to him, as the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

“You’re here.”

“Did you wait long?”

“No. I could wait for hours if needed.”

“Oh, come on~ How could I make you wait for hours?”

At her affectionate tone and playful voice, Kylo’s gaze softened.

“Even if it were raining, I could wait outside for you as long as needed.”

“Oh my, don’t say such things! If you catch a cold, it’d be terrible.”

Agnes spoke with concern, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. Kylo immediately reassured her that he wouldn’t stand in the rain.

‘Ugh… Here they go again.’

‘I swear, I should just quit working at the palace.’

The overly sweet display was unbearable for those around them, causing several onlookers to grimace.

A cold? As if. That man could stand in a torrential downpour for three days straight and still be perfectly fine. Yet, the princess was treating a human weapon like a delicate little kitten.

And Kylo? He was treating Agnes as if she were some fragile glass ornament, when in reality, she was the ticking time bomb of the imperial palace—strong-willed enough not to flinch even with a blade at her throat.

These two had a knack for tormenting everyone who had to witness them.

‘I heard they acted like this even in the Gradia territory…’

‘They should just hurry up and move there already.’

The attendants exchanged silent looks of exasperation.

Completely oblivious to what was being thought about them, Agnes and Kylo, glowing in their rosy aura, made their way out of the palace.

By the time they finished the birthday café tour, the sun was beginning to set.

Taking pictures in front of the advertisement board featuring Kylo’s own image.

Taking pictures with bizarre cat plushies inside his birthday café.

Taking pictures in strange poses outside his birthday café.

After completing these missions—things he had never imagined even in his wildest dreams—Kylo was visibly exhausted.

It had been an inexplicably grueling day. Even after spending sleepless nights on a battlefield, he hadn’t felt this drained before.

Unlike Kylo, who looked like his soul had half left his body, Agnes was still brimming with energy.

“Oh! I heard there’s a night market opening in the west district. What do you think about stopping by before heading back?”

“That sounds good.”

At this point, as long as it meant leaving this café with his face plastered everywhere, anywhere was fine.

When Kylo responded with enthusiasm, Agnes smiled brightly and began walking. Letting out a small sigh—careful not to let her notice—Kylo quickly caught up to her.

This was the biggest change since marrying Agnes.

Unlike before, he could now proudly walk by her side. This was his rightful place, and no one could take it from him.

Feeling a deep warmth in his chest, Kylo looked down at the woman beside him.

He was a little tired, yes—but it had been one of the happiest days of his life.