Chapter 80

Adrian asked carefully, “By any chance… do you have something to say to me?”

He kept feeling an intense gaze burning into his back, making it hard to keep pretending not to notice.

“No, well…”

After trailing off for a moment, Sabina shook her head coyly.

“Nothing.”

“What is it? Why are you being like this?”

“I really have nothing to say, I tell you.”

…It definitely didn’t look like it was nothing, though.

However, having known Sabina for many years, pestering her in moments like this was a rookie move. It would only make her retreat into her shell and clamp her mouth shut tight.

‘What on earth is it?’

Adrian felt stifled, as if he had swallowed a whole giant boulder.

Right at that moment—

“Brother Adriannnnn!”

Maybel suddenly clung onto Adrian.

She looked up at him with her eyes shining bright and clear.

“Do you wanna go get milk with May?”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

Adrian turned around without thinking much of it.

And so, as the two of them walked side-by-side alone…

Maybel suddenly put on a serious face and called out to him.

“Brother Adrian.”

“Yeah?”

Adrian, who turned around absentmindedly, froze.

And for good reason—Maybel had abruptly locked her gaze directly onto his.

It was an intensely resolute look, as if she were a hero facing the crisis of the world.

What on earth?!

“When on earth are you going to ask my sister to be your partner?”

“…Don’t tell me, did you send that letter just to ask me that?”

Adrian asked back with a bewildered face.

Indeed, that was it.

The real reason Adrian had visited today—it was simply because Maybel had suddenly sent him a letter.

<To Brother Adrian,

There’s something I want to tell you.

Can you come to our house?

And please keep it a secret that I sent you this letter.

Also, bring some cherry pie when you come. You know my sister likes it, right? >

It was cute how the little thing asked him to keep it a secret, and he was curious about what she had to say…

…And in all honesty, because he missed seeing Sabina.

He had visited with a whole box of cherry pie that Sabina liked (which, in truth, seemed more like something Maybel wanted to eat), but he never imagined Maybel would suddenly glare at him with hawk eyes and press him like this.

‘I swear, she’s something else.’

Adrian let out a quiet, breathless chuckle.

Meanwhile, Maybel planted both hands squarely on her hips and shot back again.

“Of course. Brother Adrian, do you dislike my sister?”

“Why would I ever dislike Sabina…?!”

Reflexively raising his voice, Adrian snapped his mouth shut.

Then he hurriedly whispered, “No, May. Still, a person needs to go through proper procedures…”

“Are you planning to go with someone other than my sister?”

Maybel asked back coyly.

Goaded, Adrian raised his voice once more.

“No! Other than Sabina, I don’t…!”

Adrian halted mid-sentence.

Before he knew it, Maybel was smirking with a sly, mischievous grin.

“Right? As expected, there’s no one but my sister, right?”

Adrian took a hesitant step back without realizing it.

“…Uh, May?”

“Then all you have to do now is ask her to be your partner, right?”

Maybel beamed brightly once more.

Even though it was undeniably a cute and lovely face, he somehow felt an overwhelming pressure.

However, Adrian didn’t get the chance to properly confront his sense of unease.

“Sister Sab-!”

Because Maybel suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Brother Adrian says he has something to tell you!”

“M-May?!!”

Startled out of his wits, Adrian scrambled to stop her. But sadly, the milk had already been spilled.

“What is it?”

Having somehow caught Maybel’s call from afar, Sabina answered from the distance.

Adrian turned pale as a sheet.

“Hey, May!”

Panicking, Adrian turned back to Maybel. But she merely gave him another sly, knowing smile, as if she already knew everything.

“Are you going to keep Sister Sabina waiting?”

“No, it’s not that…!”

“Go on, hurry.”

“Sigh…”

Driven by her persistent coaxing, Adrian let out a long sigh and began taking large strides forward.

Well, he couldn’t keep postponing the invitation forever just out of fear of being rejected—especially when he had zero desire to go with anyone other than Sabina.

And then—

“What’s going on, Adrian? Where did May go?”

Right on cue, Sabina popped her head out.

The moment her sparkling red eyes met his, Adrian unconsciously swallowed a breath.

‘Ah, good grief.’

His heart was pounding so fast he was terrified she might actually hear it.

In that instant, Adrian realized just how perfectly timed Maybel’s nudge had been. Honestly, he had been agonizing over how to approach Sabina all this time. If Maybel hadn’t shoved him forward like this, he might never have been able to say it.

“So, what did you want to say?”

Sabina gazed up at him quietly.

For some reason, Adrian felt like laughing. Why was that?

Why did his heart feel so immensely relieved in this very moment?

“Um, Sabina.”

“Yeah?”

“At my brother’s upcoming wedding…”

…Even so, that didn’t mean the nervousness had vanished entirely.

Adrian squeezed his eyes shut and threw out the question.

“Would you be my partner?”

“…”

No answer came.

‘N-No way, am I getting rejected?’

Startled, Adrian slowly fluttered his eyelids open.

His eyes met Sabina’s… but why did her expression look so unimpressed?

“S-Sabina?”

When a flustered Adrian spoke up, Sabina crossed her arms and tilted her head at a sharp angle.

Then, she snapped at him, “You certainly took your sweet time saying it.”

Yet, despite her sharp words, the corners of her lips were curling up endlessly toward the sky.

With a thread of amusement laced in her voice, Sabina asked him back, “Was this what you were dragging your feet for?”

“…Y-Yeah.”

“Honestly, if it was just that, you could’ve just said it sooner. What was with all the hesitation?”

Sabina chided him once more.

‘Wait, huh?’

Adrian’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘For some reason… Sabina seems to be in a extremely good mood?’

That wasn’t all.

The corners of her eyes softened into a gentle curve, and a coy answer tumbled from her lips.

“Well, if you really want it that much, Adrian… Fine.”

Adrian’s dazed face gradually lit up with radiant joy. The green light in his eyes sparkled like the sun.

“R-Really?”

“Why would I lie about something like this?”

Sabina gave a light shrug of her shoulders.

‘My goodness, Sabina is going to be my partner. Is this a dream?’

Unable to contain his disbelief, Adrian sought double confirmation.

“You promised, okay? No taking it back!”

Sabina narrowed her eyes slightly and asked back, “Do you really trust me that little?”

“No, it’s not that…!”

Adrian tried to scramble for an excuse.

After watching him flounder for a brief moment, Sabina burst into a clear, ringing laugh.

“Ahaha!”

It was a bright, translucent laugh, sounding like fine jade rolling across a silver tray.

Adrian stared at her blankly. He simply could not tear his eyes away from her.

‘What do I do?’

His heart thudded heavily in his chest.

It felt as though, in the entire world, Sabina was the only one who possessed color—as if she alone stood out in vivid, brilliant detail.

…It left him entirely breathless.