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“It’s so nice to be together with Sera and Heli Hyung like this.”
Ferre smiled as he munched on the cake that Sera gave him. Then, with his cheeks all puffed up, Ferre’s lips had cream all over it.
Helios took out a handkerchief to wipe off the cream, but Sera’s hand was faster than his.
“Your Highness has become a whipped cream monster.”
She smiled and wiped the child’s mouth with a pink handkerchief. By the time Sera wiped off all the cream, Ferre’s wide smile could be seen, almost reaching his ears. His bright eyes wouldn’t leave Sera.
‘It’s like forever ago. When Ferre ate and made such a mess, either my mother or I would always wipe it off.’
Helios inadvertently recalled the time when his family was still whole. When had they ever sat so leisurely at a terrace of the Star Palace? Was it during that cozy new year’s eve when the white snow was like a blanket over the world?
As they had gathered and watched the Star Palace become covered, it looked like there was no end to the snow.
Ferre and Rosé jumped on the snow and said that they would leave footprints over the white road. Their father was standing next to the twins, and their mother was waiting for them to return with warm cocoa for the young twins.
Looking at the current situation, the old scene of his family together vaguely overlapped. This tranquility came again, all thanks to Sera.
This caused a calm flutter in his heart. When he remembered those old memories, like a warm spring  breeze, a smile naturally graced his face.
“Oppa, why are you smiling like that?”
Rosé tilted her head from one side to another.
He was being so awkward the last time they were all together with Sera. But now, her Heli Oppa was smiling so prettily at Sera. RosĂ© couldn’t understand why Sera and Helios’ behavior kept changing.
‘Then there’s really something going on between them.’
With a strawberry on her fork, RosĂ© said this in her mind as she looked at Sera and Helios’ expressions.
“Oppa’s like this and Sera’s also like this. You’re both so weird when we’re all together.”
While both Sera and Helios were momentarily flustered, Sera suddenly set down the teacup that she was holding.
Helios pretended to be fine, but he couldn’t hide the agitation he felt in the gaze of his violet eyes.
“Weird? What do you mean by that, RosĂ©?”
“Cough, cough!”
Sera had been sipping on her cup of black tea, but the tea went back up and so she had no choice but to cough. Turning her head to the side as she continued to cough, she was now bright red from her neck to her ears. She wanted to calm down, but it just wouldn’t go her way.
“Sera, are you okay? Did you drink your tea wrong?”
RosĂ© didn’t think that it was because of the words she had said just now, so she asked Sera with a worried expression. It was the same for Ferre and Helios. Everyone was looking at Sera with concerned gazes.
“Miss Popo, are you alright? Should I call the doctor?”
“No need, Your Majesty. I’m fine. My throat just clenched up a bit.”
Rather than being concerned for her own throat, Sera was much more ashamed as the three siblings stared at her like that, shining like the sun.
Fortunately, when Sera was alright again, Helios had prepared another topic to talk about. As though he had been preparing to say this, Sera turned around, sitting properly once more as she responded in turn.
Was it a trick of the light that he looked a bit impatient, unlike he usually was?
“My younger siblings are so fond of you, Miss Popo. You don’t know how many times I hear compliments on how you work so hard.”
“But I’m also so proud to hear that Their Highnesses are doing well even when I’m not around. I’ve been praising Their Highnesses RosĂ© and Ferre so much that my jaw would fall off, but I still don’t think it’s enough.”
“Even if I don’t read a fairytale for them, my younger siblings can read so well on their own.”
“Their Highnesses are doing very well at studying the Imperial language. They’ve improved so much recently, too.”
“Not long ago, RosĂ© and Ferre also said that they’ll go back to sleeping in their rooms.”
“Yes, the next day, they were so excited to brag about it. They hugged their dolls and slept without Your Majesty. It seems like they’re growing little by little.”
“It does seem that way.”
Their conversation was like a war of compliments for RosĂ© and Ferre. It was natural that Sera and Helios would praise the twins, but right now, it couldn’t be ignored that they both looked to be overly conscious.
Even so, there was a limit to continuing such a conversation full of praise. After talking about Rosé and Ferre so vigorously, they eventually ran out of words to say between them.
And so, Sera and Helios met gazes, their expressions awkward. Then, they both looked away and brought their teacups to their lips.
The two tried to bring up other topics several times, but each time they did, their eyes would meet and they would just laugh awkwardly.
It was Ferre who broke the uncomfortable air again this time. Ferre straightened his back and smiled confidently. He couldn’t believe that his Hyung and Sera were praising him so much! He was in such a good mood that it was like he was flying in the sky.
Jumping off his chair, Ferre went to Helios and clung to him.
“Hyung, Hyung. Because me and RosĂ© are being so good, can’t you also give us a prize? A prize! Sera gives us a prize every time we collect ten stickers. Hyung should give us a prize, too! A prize!”
Ferre hung on Helios’ arm. At a time like this, he knew very well how to convince his Hyung. Looking up with wide eyes resembling a certain kitty that wears boots, Ferre brought out his maximum cuteness.
“Alright, Ferre. What kind of prize do you want?”
Helios looked affectionately into the purple eyes that were the same as his.
“I want to have a birthday party!”