Chapter 12
“Noona, what are you thinking about?”
Selena snapped out of her thoughts. She had been lost in memories. Leotis had already finished eating his cookie and was staring right at her.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing.”
Leotis smiled softly.
“Oh yeah, I saw you in my dream last night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You were wearing a white dress and a straw hat. You looked really pretty.”
Leotis scooted a little closer to her.
“I want to touch your face.”
“Huh?”
His dark eyes blinked at her.
“I want to know if your face feels the same as it did in my dream.”
“Oh.”
If that’s the reason…
Selena leaned her face closer. Leotis carefully reached out and touched her face. His small, thin fingers gently traced her features.
Her eyes, her cheeks, her nose, her lips, her jawline.
Maybe it was because his touch was so soft. Or maybe it was the way his serious expression didn’t match his young face. Her heart thumped for no reason.
After touching her face for a while, Leotis finally smiled brightly.
“You look exactly like you did in my dream.”
Leotis had been smiling more around Selena lately, but this was the first time she saw him smile this brightly.
Was he really that happy to see me in his dream?
Selena suddenly grew curious.
“Rio, do you really like me that much?”
Enough to want to be with her forever?
Without even a second of hesitation, Leotis replied:
“Yeah.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you like me too, noona?”
“Yeah.”
“Then…”
Leotis trailed off and held her hand.
“When we grow up, will you marry me?”
It was the kind of thing a child his age might say. Like “let’s date” or “let’s get married”—innocent love confessions from kids didn’t usually mean much to Selena.
But why can’t I answer so easily?
It was just a childish proposal. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to give a simple answer.
She knew why.
He says he likes me now, but one day he’ll leave me for the heroine.
If Selena hadn’t known the original story… If she’d just forgotten that one part of the setting…
She might’ve happily accepted his sweet little confession.
But because she knew the original plot, Selena couldn’t respond.
“Do you not like me?”
His black eyes stared straight into hers.
“No, it’s not that…”
“Then?”
“Well, um… we’re still young. Let’s talk about this kind of stuff when we’re older, okay?”
She brushed it off with a laugh. Leotis smiled innocently, like none of it bothered him.
He really looks like a little angel when he smiles like that.
Remembering how guarded he had been when they first met, Selena chuckled softly too.
The orphanage was buzzing with activity early in the morning.
Today, they were going on a picnic in the forest behind the orphanage.
I never even dreamed of going on a picnic before…
Thanks to the massive donations from nobles who adored Selena’s charm, the orphanage could now afford to take the kids on outings.
“Everyone, come out now!”
The headmistress, all dolled up, called out in a cheerful voice. The kids squealed and ran outside, thrilled to finally leave the orphanage.
“Let’s go, Rio.”
Selena grabbed Leotis’s hand. The headmistress frowned at the sight.
Though she no longer openly abused Leotis, she still clearly disliked him.
“Selena, leave Leotis here.”
Her eyes looked at him like he was some kind of insect, and Selena’s chest tightened in anger.
Breathe, Selena.
With her usual sweet smile, she spoke in an innocent tone.
“But whyyy? Can’t Rio come too? Everyone else is going. He’ll feel lonely if he’s left behind.”
“Aww, our sweet little Selena is so kind.”
The headmistress smiled.
Did that work?
But unlike the nobles, the headmistress wasn’t so easy to fool.
“Still, not today. People will be uncomfortable if someone like that is walking around outside.”
“Someone like that?” Are you serious? You’re saying that right in front of him?
“Selena, it’s okay to be friendly with your friends. But there’s no need to hang around someone like him. I just worry that people might think badly of you because of him.”
Leotis flinched. The strength in his hand vanished, and his shoulders drooped. Seeing him so crushed made Selena clench her teeth.
I’ve had enough of this.
No matter how many times she heard it, those cutting words never got easier.
Selena tightened her grip on his hand. She wanted to shout at the headmistress right then and there.
To stop looking down on Leotis.
To say he was just as precious as anyone else.
To ask what he had done to deserve being treated like this.
But she couldn’t.
Because Selena was still just a kid too.
To survive until she became an adult, she had to keep pretending to be the sweet, obedient child. She couldn’t afford to get on the headmistress’s bad side.
I’m sorry, Leotis. I can’t speak up, but I’ll never leave you alone.
Selena pouted like she was upset.
“If Rio’s not going, then I don’t want to go either. I’ll just stay here and play with him.”
The headmistress looked flustered.
Just as I thought.
She hadn’t planned this picnic just for the children’s sake. Part of the reason was to show off what a kind and caring headmistress she was while being surrounded by lovable kids.
Selena was the star of the Trice Orphanage.
Unlike the rowdy other kids, she was polite, well-behaved, and adorable.
If Selena didn’t go, the whole plan would fall apart.
“Leotis, let’s go over there and read a book together.”
Selena turned like she was ready to walk away, and the headmistress quickly grabbed her shoulder.
“Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done talking!”
She was clearly annoyed things weren’t going her way.
Oh, so we’re doing this now?
Selena looked up with big eyes like she was about to cry.
You want to use me as your poster child? Then you better think carefully. If word gets out that the sweet little Selena from Trice Orphanage came to the picnic with red, puffy eyes, you’ll regret it.
The headmistress forced her expression to soften. She knew better than to push Selena too far.
“Alright, Selena. Leotis can come too.”
“Really? He can?”
“Of course.”
“Yaaay! Thank you!”
Ugh. “Thank you,” my butt.
In exchange for letting Leotis come, the headmistress gave a condition: he had to wear a hat and big glasses so no one could recognize him.
Once she was gone, Selena checked on Leotis.
“You okay, Rio?”
Usually, Leotis didn’t even blink when the headmistress insulted him. But today, he seemed especially hurt. Even after she left, he couldn’t shake it off.
“I’ll just stay here. You go on without me.”
“Huh? No way. She said it’s okay, remember?”
Leotis shook his head slowly.
“I don’t mind people saying bad things about me. But I hate the idea of you being treated badly because of me.”
Selena was speechless.
How can he be so kind?
He could bear cruelty when it was directed at him, but not when it hurt someone he cared about.
It was such a sweet—and heartbreaking—thing to say.
Selena hugged him tightly.
“Don’t say stuff like that, Rio. It’s not okay for people to treat you badly.”
She felt tears rising.
But she held them back.
If I cry, he’ll blame himself again.
“I’m really okay, Selly noona.”
“No. I’m not okay. Anyone who’s mean to you, I’ll scold them all.”
She meant it. Life might not always go her way, but still—
Leotis grinned.
“Then I’ll scold anyone who’s mean to you too.”
“Promise? Then when we grow up, let’s start with the headmistress.”
“Okay. Deal.”
“What’s with that stupid hat?”
The moment Lemon saw Leotis wearing a giant bonnet, he started picking a fight. The kids next to him laughed along.
Selena quietly raised her fist and glared.
Go ahead. Say one more word.
Her fiery glare made Lemon shut up. Normally, that would’ve been the end, but today he just had to get one last word in.
“Hmph. Just stick to following Selena around like a little kid.”
Seriously? You’re calling him a kid?
Leotis, who was always kind and never bullied anyone, was way more mature than that nasty jerk Lemon.
Worried Leotis might shrink back again after all the headmistress’s insults, Selena quickly comforted him.
“Don’t pay attention to what that guy says.”
“I’m not. It’s true anyway.”
“Huh?”
“I am going to follow you around forever. You promised you’d stay with me forever, remember?”
He emphasized the word forever.
For a split second, Selena saw something odd in his eyes. Not a childlike gaze—but something dark and possessive.
Wait a sec… is this what they call… a yandere male lead?
The words obsessive male lead flashed in her mind.
No, Rio isn’t like that. Besides, he has a heroine waiting for him, right?
“Is that okay? Selly noona?”
The chilly look from before was gone. Leotis now smiled sweetly like a normal kid.
Behind his thick glasses, his black eyes curved into happy half-moons. Selena shook off the weird thought that had crossed her mind.
“Of course. That’s fine.”
She had no idea what kind of future that answer would lead to.
