Even after the performance ended, many people couldn’t leave their seats. The sound of sniffles and quiet murmurs filled the theater.
Among them, I, too, was sitting there, my nose turning red as I wept uncontrollably.
“Miss Roha?”
Next to me, Poster looked flustered as he glanced back and forth between me and Armin.
“I’ll take care of Vivi. You can go ahead.”
“Alright then…”
I felt embarrassed, crying like a child, but the performance was far more incredible than I had imagined, and I couldn’t help but shed tears.
By the time I had wiped away my tears and snot with the handkerchief Armin handed me and calmed down, the theater was completely empty.
“Huh? Where did everyone go?”
“The show is over. Everyone left.”
Armin smiled softly and wiped away the tear lingering at the corner of my eye.
“Wasn’t it… just so moving?”
Feeling embarrassed by my emotional outburst, I blurted out an excuse when I saw Armin’s composed face.
“It was.”
“And the actress playing the heroine was so beautiful, wasn’t she? Though, of course, not as much as the author.”
“Not really.”
Armin replied bluntly, almost dismissively.
It sounded like he was disregarding my fangirling, which made me a little annoyed.
“Wow. Your standards are way too high, aren’t they?”
“Yeah.”
“Then how on earth will you ever get married?”
I mimicked Sasha’s teasing tone, and Armin chuckled.
“You think I won’t?”
“Of course, you will.”
After all, as the heir to the Grey family, there would be countless women who would throw themselves at him if he simply extended his hand. There was no way he wouldn’t get married.
I wiped my nose with the handkerchief and stood up from my seat.
“Come on, let’s head out. I think the staff is waiting for us to leave so they can close the theater.”
Near the entrance, I noticed a theater employee standing awkwardly, unable to tell us nobles to leave. I gave him an apologetic look and hurried out.
As soon as we stepped outside, a chilly breeze brushed against the tip of my nose.
It was the first time I had been out after sunset.
In this old-fashioned world, where an unmarried lady returning home before sunset was considered proper etiquette, I had always used that rule as an excuse to avoid social gatherings.
But tonight was different.
The usually quiet streets, except for the occasional nobleman’s social gathering, were bustling with life, as if it were broad daylight.
Since today was the highly anticipated opening night of the play, the streets were filled with excited people. Street vendors had set up stalls, eagerly shouting to attract customers.
“Wow…”
Caught up in the lively atmosphere that felt like a night market, I impulsively suggested to Armin,
“Shall we take a little walk before heading back?”
“Sure.”
Armin agreed without hesitation.
I gently tightened my grip around his arm as we walked.
Armin looked especially handsome today.
Not that there was ever a day he didn’t look good, but tonight felt different.
It was probably because of the play.
Even though we’ve been by each other’s side for years and I should be used to him by now, for some reason, I kept sneaking glances at him.
His profile was breathtakingly beautiful, and my heart couldn’t help but race.
“Why do you keep stealing glances at me like that?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
“What do you mean, ‘how did I know’? Vivi, do you really think I wouldn’t notice when you’re looking at me?”
Armin turned to me and smiled.
A smile that made the world seem brighter, like everything was sparkling.
How many people in this world knew that Armin Grey could smile like this?
That smile… should be illegal. At least for tonight.
“I was just… checking if there was something on your face.”
I awkwardly changed the subject. There was this strange tension between us that shouldn’t be there, making me uncomfortable.
“What? What is it? Where?”
Armin leaned in, pushing his face close to mine, as if asking me to remove whatever was on him.
Our faces were suddenly so close, almost nose to nose. Flustered, I quickly pushed his shoulder away.
I could feel people around us whispering.
It was always like this with Armin.
No matter how much time we spent together, people never saw us as business partners or friends. They always assumed there was something more between us.
“It’s… your handsomeness. You’re covered in it.”
“What? How does handsomeness stick to someone?”
I playfully avoided the situation.
Armin frowned. He was terrible at handling jokes like this.
Thanks to my teasing, the awkward atmosphere that was on the verge of overflowing finally returned to normal.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Wow…”
The streets were lined with stalls selling things that nobles wouldn’t normally even glance at.
There were crude paintings of the play’s heroine, poorly drawn but full of enthusiasm. There were also props from the novel being sold.
Everyone was full of energy.
Completely immersed in the lively night market, I excitedly browsed through the stalls.
As we walked, we slowly drifted away from the bustling crowds and ended up in a quieter part of the city.
Most of the shops still had their lights on, probably thanks to the influx of people from the play.
We walked leisurely through the streets. The sudden quiet felt almost awkward.
“Ah!”
I quickly grabbed Armin’s arm.
“Armin, do you remember that place?”
It was a familiar-looking shop.
Armin glanced at where I was pointing and chuckled.
“Of course I remember. It’s where you bought this for me.”
He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the cufflinks I had bought for him from that very store.
“Wait… You’re still wearing those?”
“Of course. I wear them to every important event.”
“Why? There must be far better ones.”
I meant it.
Armin, the heir to the prestigious Grey family, once lost a ring worth a pouch full of gold coins and didn’t even blink an eye.
Why would he treasure such a cheap pair of cufflinks that I bought with the money I won from a fencing tournament?
“This is the best one for me.”
“No way.”
I scoffed.
No matter how indifferent he was to wealth, there was no way gold-plated cufflinks could be more valuable than solid gold ones with embedded gemstones.
Armin suddenly stopped in his tracks.
When I looked up, I saw a rare, serious expression on his face.
“I mean it.”
There it was again.
That strange, unfamiliar tension that’s been happening more and more often lately.
Every time this weird atmosphere surrounded us, I felt the urge to run away.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Armin.”
I brushed it off with a forced smile, but Armin didn’t seem satisfied with my response.
“I’m serious.”
“Okay, okay. I know how much you value things.”
I could somewhat understand.
Wealthy people often become indifferent to material value and instead treasure the meaning behind objects.
Armin was that type.
He still carried around that worn-out sword sheath strap he received as a gift, after all.
“Vivian.”
In the quiet street, Armin’s voice, lower than usual, echoed softly.
Why did his voice sound so deep today? Was it the echo?
What is this atmosphere again?
This was already the third time tonight.
Lately, the awkward tension between us seemed to be happening more frequently.
“What?”
“I have something to tell you.”
A primal warning echoed in my head, telling me not to listen.
Somehow, I felt that if I heard what Armin was about to say, I would cross a river from which there would be no return.
I didn’t care if I looked like a foolish ostrich hiding its head in the sand.
Right now, I need to escape this situation.
“Oh! I have something to say too!”
I cut him off before he could speak.
“The medal. The fencing tournament medal.”
“…The medal?”
Armin frowned as if wondering what nonsense I was talking about this time.
“Yes, the medal from the fencing tournament.”
“…Ah.”
“When are you going to take it back? You’ve got money now, right? Hurry up and pay me back and take it. It’s making me uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable…?”
“Of course!”
I nodded furiously.
Armin looked a little hurt by my words.
“Why is it uncomfortable?”
“I heard the Duke once gifted the medal he won to the Duchess. How could I keep something that important? What if I lose it?”
Armin stared at me silently for a while before letting out a deep sigh.
“I gave that to you as a gift. It’s fine even if you lose it.”
“No way! I can’t hold on to something that important. You should keep it safe for the future.”
“I’ll say it again.”
Armin looked straight into my eyes.
“I gave it to you.”
“But still…”
With a defeated look, Armin muttered, “We’ve walked too far. Let’s head back.”
And then, as if talking to himself, he added quietly,
“Not today.”
