Chapter 37
“Here, ice cream.”
Aaron walked toward Erica, who was sitting by the fountain.
The moment she took the ice cream from him, a sudden breeze messed up her hair.
Of all times—for the wind to blow now.
Just as she was about to fix it and eat, Aaron stopped her.
“Wait a moment.”
Erica had no idea what he was going to do.
After handing her the ice cream, Aaron suddenly ran off toward a nearby shop.
Running away without a word—how rude!
Just as Erica was about to grumble, Aaron returned holding something in his hand.
“What’s this? You left without saying anything.”
“This. Sorry, it’s not a fancy ribbon.”
Erica stared at what he held: a plain, undecorated hair tie.
“…If I wear it, of course it’ll look pretty.”
Did he think she needed anything fancy to look good?
It really wasn’t a “pretty” hair tie.
But she felt thankful. He had noticed her discomfort without her saying a word and went out of his way to buy it.
She hesitated for a second, and that pause made Aaron misunderstand.
“I’ll tie it for you.”
Before she could object, Aaron rolled up his sleeves.
Of course Erica could tie her own hair.
She usually did it herself since she disliked how the maids did it.
But when Aaron offered, she swallowed her words.
Out of simple curiosity, she wanted to know what it would feel like to let him do it.
“Does it hurt?”
Instead of pain, the tug on her hair just tickled the back of her neck.
Other people had done her hair before, but they were all women.
Never a strong young man like Aaron.
Blushing, she gave a small nod.
Once Aaron tied her hair neatly, he looked pleased and smiled.
The two ice creams in her hands had already started to melt.
“How’s my work?”
“Not bad. It’s not unbearable.”
“Yeah, I used to tie my little sister’s hair all the time.”
Erica froze, staring at the ice cream.
He probably said it without thinking, but—
Amel. Aaron’s younger sister. The only family he had.
Maybe she could’ve been Erica’s friend, if things were different.
Aaron noticed Erica’s troubled face and quickly corrected himself.
“I’m fine, Erica.”
No, he couldn’t be fine.
Erica knew too well how it felt to act like you were fine when you weren’t.
It reminded her of pretending to be okay on her parents’ death anniversary, for her brother’s sake.
Maybe that’s why she ended up saying something she normally wouldn’t.
“Actually, I lost family too.”
She wanted him to know—they weren’t so different.
Even a noble lady like her wasn’t free from the pain of losing family.
Their eyes met in the air, warm with sympathy and understanding.
Then Aaron’s eyes suddenly turned cold.
As if he’d noticed someone’s presence, he grabbed her hand.
“What—what are you doing?”
“I’m… a fugitive.”
“What?!”
A fugitive?!
When Erica turned around, several unknown people were approaching.
Between his words and those pursuers, she understood immediately.
There was no choice but to run with him.
“Excuse me.”
But before Aaron could pull her hand, Erica grabbed his first.
Aaron looked startled, but she frowned at him.
“Well? Aren’t you going to run?”
Clutching her dress, she boldly ran with him.
Shops and people flashed past like short scenes.
She had been taught to walk gracefully like a noblewoman, but Erica’s personality never fit those rules perfectly.
Still, she’d never run like this before, until she was gasping for breath.
She glanced at Aaron.
While she was completely out of breath, Aaron looked perfectly fine.
“You okay?”
Instead of answering, Erica’s mind raced along with her pounding heart.
Would she collapse here? What if she fainted?
As always, Erica didn’t quite understand her own feelings.
She didn’t even realize Aaron was slowly seeping into her heart.
She only worried about dying from exhaustion—or regretted not training her stamina better.
Then—her foot caught on a stone.
‘Am I going to die for real?’
She shut her eyes tight as both feet left the ground.
But when she opened them, she wasn’t on the ground.
She was in Aaron’s arms.
She barely noticed her knee stinging, because Aaron scooped her up and kept running.
“Kyaa!”
Looking back, the pursuers had already fallen far behind.
She was amazed—not at herself, but at Aaron’s strength.
“Who are those people?”
“The ones chasing me.”
“Why are they chasing you? Did you do something bad?”
“Haha. If I did, would you stop being my friend?”
Even while treating her wound, Aaron dodged her questions.
Erica pouted.
She thought they were friends. Why wouldn’t he tell her the truth?
“Ow.”
“Thanks for today.”
But when he smiled, her annoyance melted away.
And in its place, another feeling began to sprout.
Her cheeks grew red, so she changed the subject clumsily.
“Y-you even know how to do this kind of thing?”
“I’m just glad I could help.”
His smile stayed in her mind long after.
“Lady Erica?”
In front of her sat Prince Oscar—the most sought-after groom in the kingdom.
Yet Erica was lost in thoughts of Aaron.
‘Why does Aaron keep coming to mind now?’
She knew it was disrespectful, but she couldn’t stop imagining Aaron’s face instead of the prince’s.
She even wished the man across from her was Aaron.
‘How can I think of another man while sitting with Prince Oscar?!’
Many noble girls would do anything for this chance.
At first, Erica was no different—Oscar was the perfect match every girl dreamed of.
She shook her head, trying to focus.
But then she noticed her brother and sister-in-law sneaking around in the bushes nearby.
‘Really? Can’t they have their lover’s quarrels somewhere else?’
To seventeen-year-old Erica, her brother and Gemma looked exactly like a lovesick couple.
“Are you alright, Lady Erica?”
“Ah, yes.”
Oscar had done nothing wrong, and he certainly wasn’t unworthy.
In fact, he was more than she deserved.
And yet here she was, distracted.
Feeling guilty, Erica took out something from her bag.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, Lady Erica?”
She handed him some cookies.
To her, sweets always brought comfort.
She hoped they might ease his heart too.
But Oscar’s reaction was strange. His eyes trembled as he looked at the cookie.
He accepted it—but didn’t eat it.
“Why don’t you eat it?”
“…”
“Do you not like it? It’s really delicious, I promise.”
Oscar gave a faint smile.
“I can’t eat cookies.”
“Oh! Then please give it back. I’ll prepare something else.”
She felt embarrassed at her mistake.
But Oscar surprised her.
“Why don’t you ask me why?”
“Well… if it’s something you want to share, you’ll say it without me asking.”
At her reply, Oscar clapped softly.
“You are very considerate, Lady Erica.”
She wasn’t. She only remembered what she’d learned a few days ago.
[Who are those people?]
[The ones chasing me.]
[Why are they chasing you? Did you do something wrong?]
[Haha. Would you stop being my friend if I did?]
That day, Aaron hadn’t answered her either.
And from that, she realized: everyone has secrets.
If they want to tell them, they will, in their own time.
Just like when she had told Aaron her own secret—
[Actually, I lost family too.]
Oscar looked at the cookie again.
“The fact that you gave this to me must have some meaning. I won’t reject your sincerity.”
“But if you can’t eat it, it’s really fine.”
“It’s fine. I’ll keep it.”
Keep it? Why keep a cookie?
If it were Aaron, he would’ve eaten it happily.
Erica thought of the way Aaron bit into a red apple with that bright smile.
‘It was so sweet.’
She smiled faintly at the memory.
Oscar, not knowing why she smiled, smiled back too.
“Shall we walk a little more?”
The sunlight over the bench was beginning to fade.
And Erica found herself looking forward—not to this walk, but to the luncheon with Aaron tomorrow.
