/
“Princess, Ethan Bronte. People are looking for you two.”
Dorothea and Ethan suddenly came to their senses when Joy, who was guarding the door, knocked on the door.
Dorothea’s heart raced as if it had been stolen.
“Tell him to wait a little longer because the story is coming to an end.”
Ethan answered through the door instead of Dorothea.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s all right, Joy!”
Joy’s voice was sharp, as if worried about what Ethan had done to Dorothea.
“The start time of the Music performance has passed.”
It was then that the two realized that time had passed.
“Yes! We’re almost done talking
”
Dorothea looked around and met Ethan’s eyes. Just making eye contact with him, Made her smile.
“I didn’t realize it was time.”
Dorothea smiled, and Ethan watched it. He wondered if it was a dream to see Dorothea smiling in front of him.
It seemed so unreal that he was afraid that it would be an illusion that would disappear when he opened his eyes.
So he couldn’t let Dorothea out of his arms. He was afraid this would be the last chance of his life.
“By the way
my lips aren’t swollen, right?”
Dorothea raised her head slightly, as if asking him to look at her lips.
Then, Ethan kissed her lips lightly again.
“Ethan
!”
“Don’t worry, you look beautiful.”
Then he kissed Dorothea’s forehead again.
“Stop it, Ethan. We must go now.”
“Just tell them to do it without us.”
Ethan said with a very serious expression.
The music performances were no longer important.
He didn’t want to let Dorothea out of his arms, he wanted to spend the night with her, and there were so many things he wanted to say.
“But Ethan, there are many people over there who came to hear you play.”
Dorothea pointed to the noise coming from afar.
That is the reason why so many people gathered here, so It’s hard to see it as a regular Music performance held by a small hobby music club.
“I want to hear you play the violin too.”
At Dorothea’s words, Ethan let her out of his arms as if he couldn’t help it.
‘If the princess wants it, I should do it.’
Besides, if they don’t get out quickly, Joy will suspect the two of them.
“Before we go, may I ask you a favor?”
Ethan asked, releasing Dorothea from his embrace but still holding her hand tightly.
Dorothea nodded at him and beckoned him to speak.
“Would you mind pinching my cheek just once?”
‘Because I’m anxious to let go of your hand right now and it’s driving me crazy.’
At that, Dorothea smiled and kissed him first.
Then she bit his lips, hard enough to make him feel a slight ache.
“It’s not a dream.”
As Dorothea whispered with a smile, Ethan curled his own lips inside, which she had just bitten.
“As expected, it must be a dream. There’s no way the princess would kiss me first.”
Ethan’s grip on Dorothea’s hand tightened.
‘I asked her to pinch me, but she bit my lips. This is not the Dorothea Milanaire I knew.’
Then Dorothea shook his hand and laughed.
“You are holding my hand so tightly, how can I pinch you?”
It was then that Ethan realized that he had completely bound Dorothea’s hands and released them.
Dorothea laughed at Ethan.
Seeing that, Ethan also forgot his worries and smiled.
‘If it’s a dream, I can get drunk until I wake up.’
Dorothea was too lovely to forget the preciousness of the moment due to his inescapable anxiety about the future.
The two of them enjoyed each other’s unfamiliar appearances rather than feeling strange and difficult.
Ethan looked at Dorothea without saying a word.
“Is there anything you want to say?”
“Princess.”
“why?”
“In front of people, let’s keep it a secret.”
Ethan said, gently caressing her cheek.
She doesn’t like that idea, but Dorothea knows why Ethan said that.
Dorothea was a princess who had recently awakened the spirits and was attracting attention, and Ethan was the hot new socialite in the social circle.
The stories of Ethan appearing at a party or dating someone were circulating in secret newsletters among the nobles.
Dorothea also declined most of the invitations, so the reason she didn’t show up and how she met Theon was already known among the nobles.
Besides, there was a lot of talk about the relationship between the two who were partners in their debutante.
If Ethan hadn’t been actively dating other girls recently, there would have been quite a bit of gossip about the two.
Anyone can easily predict how many unnecessary words will be added when they get together.
They’d be lucky if it ends with groundless and dirty rumors, but those who want to harm them directly may appear.
Dorothea and Ethan were tired of being harassed by people, and they didn’t want to be the center of the nobles’ attention.
“Okay, Ethan. Let’s keep it a secret for now.”
Dorothea also hoped that other people’s gazes and rumors would not affect their feelings and relationship.
It had been so complicated, and now they wanted to explore their feelings in peace.
“We have to go back soon so we don’t get caught.”
Since The two disappeared together, those who like to talk must have already made up a novel among themselves.
“Then, I will go ahead and prepare for a music performance, Princess. Take your time.”
Ethan walked away, without taking his eyes off her. And before opening the door, he made eye contact with her once more.
“I love you, Princess.”
He whispered quietly to Dorothea, who wanted to be loved.
* * *
Ethan returned to the music performance hall a little before Dorothea.
“Ethan! Where have you been?”
The host, who had been waiting impatiently for him, hurriedly took him backstage.
“I’ve pulled the order of the other songs ahead of you, so just get ready.”
When he arrived, the music performance had started by pulling the back order forward to avoid delays in the schedule.
Ethan’s turn was next.
Ethan found his violin, which he had left behind the curtain.
Before going on stage, for one final check and preparation, he hurriedly opened the violin case.
Then

“
.!”
Ethan opened the case and looked at the violin.
The host who came to help him was also surprised to see the condition of the violin.
“Who would do this!”
There was no way that the strings of the violin in the case could be cut off alone, so it was obvious that someone cut them on purpose.
Surprised, the host asked him if he wanted to call someone to find the culprit, but Ethan shook his head.
It will be difficult to catch the culprit anyway.
Ethan didn’t want to waste time by making a big deal with violin strings.
Fortunately, the violin had no problems other than a broken string.
Besides, he didn’t want the music performance to be prolonged to catch the culprit.
He wants to spend time with Dorothea after the music performance quickly.
He calmly rummaged through the pockets looking for the spare string he always had in his case.
However, even the strings he carried as a spare were all gone.
‘It’s very meticulous and careful
.’
Ethan bit his lip.
He can roughly guess who it is, but there was no evidence that he was the culprit right away, and there was no arguing situation.
“Are there any extra strings?”
Ethan asked the host, who looked even more surprised and nervous than he was.
“I haven’t prepared anything here, but I think I should ask the other musician.”
“Then I’m sorry, but would you mind asking the others and borrowing them?”
“Yes, I’ll get it right away
.”
Seeing Ethan’s calm response, the host nodded and rushed away.
Ethan searched the inside of the case more, just in case.
The player hadn’t taken proper care of the violin. It was his fault for taking his eyes off it.
At that moment, the string that had remained deep in the case pocket was caught in his fingertips.
It was probably pushed so deep inside that the culprit didn’t seem to be able to find it.
When he took it out, it was a G string.
Ethan thought for a moment with the remaining string and, as if he had decided something, began to replace the broken G string of the violin with a new one.
* * *
Dorothea sat down on the front seat reserved for her and waited for Ethan’s turn.
‘I guess I should have learned to play an instrument.’
‘If I did, there would have been more conversations I could have with Ethan.’
As soon as the previous performance was over, Nereus came up on the stage.
Nereus looked quite fresh, even though Dorothea’s spirit earlier must have cracked his firm pride.
“Now, the special guest performance you’ve all been waiting for. Please give a big round of applause for Ethan Bronte.”
At Nereus’ words, applause and cheers shook the hall.
Ethan appeared on stage to the enthusiastic welcome of the audience.
He hadn’t even started playing yet, but Ethan’s appearance alone gave an excited response as if he had finished playing.
‘As expected, They like his appearance more than his music.’ thought Nereus.
Then Nereus looked at the violin in Ethan’s hand and his brow furrowed.
What he held up was a violin with a broken string hanging from it.
Nareus doesn’t know how the G string was changed, but the other strings were all hanging down.
The audience began to murmur when they saw the condition of his violin.