Caught off guard, Adrian hugged Maybel—and at the same time, he was startled.
The child’s small, slender back was trembling ever so slightly.
“May?”
Adrian quickly pulled her away from his embrace.
By then, Maybel’s eyes were flushed red.
It looked like she was trying really hard not to cry, but…
It still showed.
Adrian felt his heart drop.
“I’m sorry, May. Okay?”
“…Do you know how worried I was?”
After biting her lips for a while, Maybel finally muttered in a small voice.
“I was so scared I might never see you again…”
“Oh no, I’m sorry for making you worry.”
Tears were brimming over her big blue eyes.
It looked like they’d fall at the slightest nudge.
Panicking, Adrian gently wiped the tears from the corners of Maybel’s eyes.
“But I’m super healthy now, you know? So you don’t have to worry anymore…”
But at that moment—
A sharp, shrill voice rang out.
“You! Who said you could make our May cry?!”
It was Sabina.
Normally so calm, she was storming over with fire in her eyes.
She pointed a fierce finger at Adrian, clearly fuming.
“Even I don’t make her cry, and who are you to make her cry?!”
“S-Sorry…”
Her energy was so intense that Adrian shriveled like a salted cabbage leaf.
And, well… it was true that he said the wrong thing.
“Then make it up to me!”
Seizing the opportunity, Maybel looked up with a pout and made a demand.
“Can you flap-flap me?”
Flap-flap was her favorite game—Adrian would lift her up and bounce her up and down like she was flying.
She loved the feeling of soaring through the air.
“Of course I can. You know how strong I am!”
Adrian picked her up with a grin.
“Wheee!”
Maybel let out a joyful laugh.
After a good while of bouncing her up and down—
“Put me down!”
Once her feet touched the ground, Maybel darted off across the garden.
Sabina quickly raised her voice.
“May! Run slowly—you’ll trip!”
The two of them stood side by side, watching Maybel run off with fond eyes.
Then—
Adrian suddenly asked a question.
“Sabina, have you ever thought of staying at the duke’s estate?”
Surprised by the unexpected offer, Sabina turned to look at Adrian with wide eyes.
“…At the duke’s estate?”
“Yeah. I already got permission from my brother.”
Adrian continued cautiously.
“After what happened with the supplies… and to keep things from getting difficult for you again…”
“I’m sorry.”
Sabina shook her head firmly.
“I want to go home.”
“…”
Adrian quietly looked at her.
Then, after a pause—
“Alright. I won’t force you.”
He nodded gently.
Then asked softly:
“But… do you think I’ll ever be able to earn your trust?”
“I already trust you.”
Sabina answered without hesitation.
Adrian gave a wry smile.
“But not everyone else, right?”
“….”
Sabina fell silent.
Adrian spoke gently, carefully.
“I just don’t want you to feel alone. I know Maybel is with you, but still…”
After trailing off briefly, he finished calmly.
“Sometimes, it’s okay to lean on someone else too.”
“Adrian.”
“And I hope I can be that person.”
At those words, her red eyes trembled slightly.
Adrian added once more:
“I’m the one who brought you and Maybel to the capital. I want to take responsibility for that.”
“That’s…”
“You don’t have to carry everything on your own.”
Sabina stared at Adrian for a long moment.
Then, with a soft chuckle, she teased:
“You really do worry about the silliest things.”
“…Sabina?”
“I mean, I already…”
Her smile deepened a little.
“…rely on you. You’ve helped me solve so many problems already.”
“Unnie! Oppa!”
Just then, Maybel came running over.
In her hands, she was holding a bunch of white clover flowers she had picked.
“Look! I’m gonna make flower rings for you!”
Maybel bounced in place, urging them excitedly.
“Give me your hands!”
“Like this?”
Sabina held out her hand with a smile.
“Yep!”
Grabbing her hand, Maybel started carefully working, wrapping flowers around her fingers.
A moment later, a lovely clover ring sat on Sabina’s ring finger.
“Pretty, right?”
Beaming with pride, Maybel grabbed Adrian’s hand next.
Soon, matching fluffy flower rings bloomed on both of their left ring fingers.
“Our May’s amazing at making flower rings!”
Sabina spread her fingers and praised her warmly.
But something was off—Adrian had been quiet the entire time.
‘What’s he doing? Isn’t he going to compliment May?’
Sabina glanced at Adrian—and her eyes widened slightly.
The tips of Adrian’s ears were burning red.
Come to think of it, a ring on the left ring finger…
Isn’t that… a wedding ring?!
O-Of course, Maybel probably didn’t know what that meant when she made it.
But still… this was…!
Suddenly, Sabina felt her face heating up too. She stared intensely at the flower ring on her finger, as if blaming it for everything.
While both of their faces turned red like ripe apples—
“Unnie? Oppa? Are you sick?”
Maybel tilted her head, clue
less.
“Your faces are all red.”
“Nope, not sick!”
“Don’t worry, super healthy!”
Sabina and Adrian shouted in unison, clearly flustered.
But at the corners of their lips—was a faint smile neither of them even noticed.
