Whether he knew Min-ha’s feelings or not, Seth lowered her right ankle with an indifferent face. He then looked up at her and said.
“The other ankle, too.”
“…It’s okay! It’s really, really okay!”
“Then, here.”
When she desperately resisted his request to show her left ankle, Seth instead took off his left shoe and pushed it to her, before raising himself up.
‘…It was really okay, though.’
Eventually, she wore his left shoe without saying anything to Seth’s silent pressure.
Min-ha opened her mouth in a blunt voice, feeling even more embarrassed than before when she saw him gently lift her shoes off and put them at the entrance where they can be seen clearly.
“…What’s wrong with you? I said it was all right.”
“Originally, it’s the knight’s duty to hold and carry you, but I thought you wouldn’t like it.”
“O, of course!”
“So, please put on the shoes at least. This place has always been maintained though you might injure your foot by something like grass, branches, or a flying insect.”
“…Is it okay if your foot hurts?”
“Because I am a knight. It’s nothing to be bitten by a fly or grass.”
In response to Min-ha’s question, Seth replied so and lightly patted his bare feet. Even though the intention of the action was to mean that he was fine, she didn’t like the calluses and wounds she saw every time he did that.
As she was staring at him with a slight frown on her face, Seth, who met her gaze, raised one corner of his mouth lightly and spoke.
“Why those eyes? Do you want me to hold you and carry you?”
“Oh, it can’t be! …Thank you. I will wear it well. I will return it to you when we get out.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Still, I just have to put my shoes back on.”
“Well, if you insist that much, I will have to follow you, who is stubborn.”
“You’re stubborn, too.”
Saying so, Min-ha pouted her lower lip.
Seth smirked softly. Then, he lowered his gaze slightly and looked at her feet that were wearing his shoes.
“Are your ankles okay now?”
“…Yes. Thanks to you.”
“Then, if it’s okay with you, why don’t we look around the garden together? It’s a bit odd to just stand here like this.”
At Seth’s suggestion to take a walk first, Min-ha nodded as a response.
As the two began walking side by side around the secret garden, Min-ha was worried about Seth walking by her side, with the back of his hands grazing hers.
Although her walking speed was slower than usual, now, she was walking even slower because she was wearing his shoes, which were a bit larger than her feet. Nevertheless, Seth walked at Min-ha’s pace.
No matter how tactless he seemed, it was an act that would let him know that he cared about her. Trying not to attach any meaning to Seth’s appearance, she only looked at the scenery of the secret garden.
Perhaps, that was why. As she was walking, not concentrating on what was right in front of her, Min-ha suddenly felt her shoes tangled and her body wobbled.
“Kyah—!”
“Hey!”
At the thought of falling onto her face like this, Min-ha screamed.
However, what touched her face was not the texture of the hard soil or tickling grass, but rather the hard yet warm chest of Seth.
The moment she realized that she was leaning against his chest, which smelled cool, her thoughts stopped.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, I’m fine!”
“You must have been very surprised.”
“…No? I’m not surprised!”
“Really?”
“Yes. Really… It’s really fine.”
As soon as she heard Seth’s voice, Min-ha, who felt as if she had been covered in cold water, quickly removed her face from his chest and took a step back.
When he asked if she was okay, seeing her somewhat flustered appearance, Min-ha repeated only saying that it was fine. Seeing her like that, Seth gave her a questionable look and briefly clicked on his tongue.
“I think my shoes were too big.”
“It’s all right. You… you caught me as well.”
“I’ve been asking, but you’ve been saying it’s okay since earlier. Are you really okay?”
“Of course…”
“All right, then.”
Seeing Seth grimacing as if doubtful, she pursed her lips for nothing.
‘…I’ve said it’s okay to walk barefoot at the beginning as well.’
As he was frowning while looking at her like that, Min-ha felt somewhat self-conscious with the attention.
‘He asked me to take a walk first, but I guess he’s already tired of it.’
Or, was it that he took off her shoes to be considerate of her, though in reality, he was really uncomfortable about it…?
At the thought of that, Min-ha became restless and took her foot out of Seth’s shoes she was wearing.
“Then, at least hold hands and walk.”
“Yes… What?”
“Wouldn’t that be okay?”
“But…”
Nevertheless, as if her thought was wrong, Seth reached out his hand to her.
Min-ha gazed at him, without thinking that he would offer such a thing as he extended his hands towards her for the first time.
Just a little while ago, she kept getting so nervous even if he just rubbed the back of her hand, and then I almost fell… but now, holding hands?
Of course, no matter how enemy-like they were, ‘Minase Persen’ and ‘Seth Persen’ were a couple, so it was not unreasonable to hold hands. Thinking so, Min-ha was embarrassed and worried for nothing.
When Min-ha hesitated to hold his hand, Seth asked with a firm expression.
“Holding my hand… Do you hate it that much?”
“Oh, why are you interpreting it like that again! No, that’s not it!”
She immediately denied Seth’s words.
In reality, she was just concerned and a little shy. Although as she recalled ‘Minase Persen,’ she started self-blaming herself as well.
Even though she felt sorry for him, Min-ha was strangely annoyed. No matter how she behaved, it seems to him that in the end, she had no choice though to always be seen as ‘Minase Persen.’
Without knowing, she felt like crying.
“…Do you still see me as that Minase Persen?”
“What? What do you mean?”
At her sudden question, Seth asked back before turning his head towards her, tilting it. As her words were out of the blue, it was as though he was asking what she was talking about.
‘…I guess so.’
Although she said it out of anger, it was a natural reaction. Even if she explained the situation, he wouldn’t believe it, so she’ll have to act like ‘Kim Min-ha’ as it is now.
With that in mind, Min-ha sighed briefly and grabbed Seth’s hand.
“…It’s nothing. Just—I was a little shy.”
“You? Look at me… You are shy?”
“Why, can’t I be?”
“No, you can.”
‘…Just be who you are, do whatever your heart tells you.’
Seth smiled slightly at Min-ha’s honest words.
Min-ha was once again deprived of her attention at Seth’s appearance. Just like a beautiful statue, whenever he had emotions like that on that cool face, and whenever it was kindness that he clumsily showed towards her, she was helplessly caught by him and became distracted.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing. I thought that your hands were quite big.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
He was curious about her behavior as she looked at him without saying a word. Nonetheless, Min-ha just pretended to examine Seth’s hand, which she was holding, and turned her back. Seeing so, he chided her for being silly and held her hand as if covering it.
Then, he said, pulling her slender hand that he was holding tightly.
“It seems like it would be unreasonable to walk further, so let’s go up to the bench.”
“Okay.”
In response to her answer, Seth nodded his head and started walking slowly.
Looking at the floor, Min-ha told herself that she was doing that to make sure that she wasn’t about to fall over like she did before even though Seth slowed down a little more than before.
…Not because she was trying to hide her red cheeks that were getting warmer because of his constant concern for her.
After spending a considerable amount of time walking a short distance that would not have taken a few minutes at a normal pace, the two finally reached the bench and released their hands.
Min-ha rubbed the palm of her hand that had been holding Seth’s hand on her skirt and caught her breath. It was because she was nervous and nervous as she was holding Seth’s hand and walking.
“Is your dress still uncomfortable?”
“…No, not really. It’s just—”
“Just?”
“….”
But, as if he had interpreted the reason why she was acting like that was because her dress was uncomfortable, Seth approached her and asked.
Min-ha waved her hand, saying no to his question. Still, her breathing with her red cheeks was a bit strange to anyone looking at her. Maybe, that was why Seth didn’t seem to believe her words.
He frowned slightly before coming up behind her.
“If you don’t mind, can you excuse me for a moment?”