“…When I see him, I keep getting a throbbing feeling in the corner of my heart. That’s why.”
“Yes…?”
“I keep thinking about it. His handsome face, which I wanted to hit because I hated his eyes, ears and sarcastic remarks he said when he sees me… now it feels strange. Now, when I see him… my heart keeps feeling weirder.”
“Oh, my goodness…”
While talking, she finally confessed those words after pondering a lot about whether to continue or not.
Though somehow, Wanda’s face when she heard her words was strange. At first, she had a serious face, but as Min-ha continued, it became brighter and brighter, like a flower blooming in spring.
Seeing that, Min-ha doubted that Wanda’s change of expression didn’t matter if she thought much of her worries that she confessed with difficulty. She opened her mouth again in a slightly sullen voice.
“Wanda thinks it’s funny, right?”
“No way. I just think I’m very happy. I feel like it finally came out the way I wanted it to.”
“…Yes?”
“Whether it’s that Rupert or a toad… Of course, it’s definitely going to be our Young Master rather than that deceitful and sly man.”
“What…?”
“Hmm, never mind. Madam, I know a good way to deal with such a situation. Would you trust me and follow what I suggest?”
“What should I do?”
At her words, Min-ha asked with a questionable tone towards Wanda, who had a rarely excited face. Then, with a short laugh, she answered in a more friendly voice than when teaching sewing.
“At times like this, you need to look more often.”
“Yes?”
“If your heart keeps getting weird seeing him, won’t it heal itself by looking at Your Excellency until your heart finds peace? Why, just like a child who was afraid of butterflies and small insects at first gets used to them after holding and playing with them a few times.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. Of course!”
‘I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t really think this fits with that metaphor… but maybe, I’m mistaken…?’
Although Min-ha was still doubtful, Wanda’s answer was so confident that she couldn’t say anything else.
When she said nothing, Wanda stared at her face and smiled brightly before squeezing her hand tighter.
“Don’t be deceived and do what I advise, okay?”
“…I’ll try.”
“Or, at least, it would be better to convey to Your Excellency how you feel.”
“What?!”
“If the Madam keeps avoiding him for no reason, wouldn’t Your Excellency feel bad even if he didn’t show it? He may misunderstand. So, it is right to explain why. If I suddenly avoid you for no reason, won’t you care? Thinking about what you did wrong, wondering if you said something disrespectful?”
“Oh… Well, that’s right.”
“So, try to face it yourself. Just avoiding it is not a good thing.”
“….”
“Then, now that this seems to be over, shall we start the class again?”
Saying so, Wanda let go of her hand and picked up the sewing thread again. She repeated the explanation she had given a little bit and showed the demonstration slowly.
Min-ha concentrated on the explanation that followed, thinking that Wanda somehow looked kinder and in a good mood several times than before. She then turned her head slightly to hide Wanda from seeing, and sighed.
It seemed that she still couldn’t seem to get used to this fuzzy feeling just thinking about Seth.
‘Okay, let’s act as usual today.’
Min-ha headed to the East Annex with such a strong determination, and worked hard to clean the library as tasked.
When she first took charge of cleaning the library, it didn’t seem like it would ever be over, though it was already nearing the end.
After finishing the second floor full of old books that the servants couldn’t touch, cleaning the first floor was very easy. Perhaps, it was probably because there were traces of cleaning before since it was often used by Seth and other knights.
It seemed that if she moved a little more today, she could finally finish cleaning the library. So, Min-ha thought she could move more leisurely while cleaning the last remaining bookshelf on the first floor.
“Last year’s crop was at this level, so the tribute is only this level?”
“Yes. It must have rained considerably last summer. As a result, the repair facility had to be overhauled as well.”
However, she could hear Seth and Lancelot having a conversation outside.
Min-ha felt her heart pound once more at Seth’s voice. Maybe, it was because she had been avoiding him for the past few days, or because she had heard his voice so closely after a long time. Her heart was pounding even more.
‘…Wanda told me to face him up until I got used to it.’
But… It was too much today, so let’s avoid it for now.
Thinking so, Min-ha hid herself behind the bookshelf.
“I see. Please bring all the related reports here, and I’ll have a look at them all.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
At that moment, the sound of the library door opened and Seth and Lancelot seemed to have entered.
Min-ha, without realizing it, shark and stuck to the bookshelf even more.
“…Hold on, Sir Lancelot. I will go with you.”
“Yes? You don’t have to…”
“….”
“Oh. I see. Then, let’s go together.”
Eventually, after chatting for a while in the library, the sound of footsteps emerged again, followed by the sound of the library door closing.
‘What…’
Only after Seth left the library did Min-ha pull herself out of the bookshelf and poked out her head, thinking that her strange mind seemed to be draining while she was trying to find peace.
“Kyaak—!”
“You were here.”
Suddenly, she screamed loudly at Seth’s face, which she saw right in front of her.
He hardened his expression as if offended by the startled look as though she had seen a ghost. At that sight, Min-ha bowed her head to hide her trembling heart and her cheeks that were constantly reddening for no reason, just five seconds after she had felt relieved a moment ago.
Seth, who was more impressed by Min-ha’s appearance, spoke as he slightly blocked her body with his to prevent her from escaping.
“It’s been a while since I saw you.”
“…Oh, haha. That’s right.”
“Noah said you are like a princess in a fairy tale these days. As soon as the six o’clock bell rings, you leave the East Annex.”
“….”
“I don’t think it’s because you had to learn sewing from Mrs. Wanda. By any chance, did you hide something in your annex?”
“Wh, what do you mean hiding something?”
“Then, why are you so blatantly avoiding me?”
Min-ha felt her face burning red as she bowed her head even more at Seth’s cold interrogation. Was it because she was being too obvious? She was ashamed of the fact that he also knew that she had seemingly avoided him.
…No, it wasn’t just feeling ashamed.
Somehow, if it had been before, she would have been offended by the cold questioning, though strangely, even his voice sounded sweet now…
Min-ha was confused in my mind, which she couldn’t control at all. So, she bowed her head more so as not to show her face to him.
Because of that, Seth spoke with a lowered voice.
“Did I do anything disrespectful to you that day in the secret garden?”
“…No.”
“Then, what is it? Perhaps, the thought of me touching your body makes you want to tremble?”
“….!”
“…Yes, that’s how it was originally. Because a noble lady like you must hate that me, someone from a lowly background, touching you even with just a fingertip. You didn’t sleep with me on the first night either. Even after that, you’ve been avoiding me with all sorts of excuses.”
“….!”
“…But, isn’t this a foul? As if you would accept everything that day, you accepted my light touch with a friendly expression, but now… By any chance, are you playing with me? You acted kindly to take revenge on me for treating you coldly, and if I open my heart, will you coldly throw me away again? So, that day… did you put up with my touch?”
At that moment, Min-ha couldn’t stand the words of Seth, degrading himself with words as cold as a snowstorm in the middle of winter, like when she had fallen into this world and met him for the first time.
So, without realizing it, she raised her head and impulsively shouted at him with her feelings.
“Th, that’s not true! What do you mean, disgusting thing?! Rather, my heart keeps pounding…!”
“…What?”
And, at that moment, Min-ha’s eyes met straightly with Seth, who was gazing at her.
At first, Seth had a grimacing expression as if he didn’t understand Min-ha’s words slowly unfolded. However, just moments later, deep emotions began to sink into his eyes, who had just stared at her coldly.
Min-ha felt her cheeks heat up even more at his gaze as if possessed by him, and turned her head to avoid his gaze.
Nevertheless, Seth carefully reached out his hand over her face. He carefully turned Min-ha’s face toward him as though he was caressing a thin and fragile statue that would break if his hand grazed.
Eventually, he opened his mouth and asked in a lowered voice, with a different meaning than before.
“What do you mean, your heart’s pounding…?”
“That, tha—”
“Minase.”
Min-ha couldn’t immediately answer Seth’s question with a trembling voice that didn’t suit her.
That was because her heart trembled as much as her voice trembled…
Until a moment ago, she just felt nauseous, but now her heart was pounding. As if it had never existed, her heart, which had never strongly asserted its existence, was pounding as if it were beating through her whole body.
‘Wh, What… What is this? What is this feeling…’
Feeling possessed by Seth’s gaze, which seemed to swallow her with his darkly sinking eyes, she hurriedly patted her burning hot cheeks with one of her hands.
No, it was as if she had already been possessed. Min-ha couldn’t even stop the further narrowing of the distance between Seth and her, which was only one step away.