Chapter 6: She felt like she could die from embarrassment.
Yvonne had no idea how Kiryan knew Franz or why he had come looking for her.
She was so terrified that her whole body stiffened—only her gray-blue eyes could move.
“Who… are you?”
Paradi pulled her out of Kiryan’s arms. When she stumbled from the force, he positioned her to fall against his chest.
“Y-You know… me…?”
“Seems you don’t remember. Fine. That happens. It’s been a long time…”
“I think we should start with who you are.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Paradi Laurent, the owner of this theater.”
“Laurent? So you’re the Marquis Laurent’s grandson. I’m Kiryan Hischleger. Franz’s older brother.”
“O-older… brother?”
Paradi turned to Franz, his expression twisted.
It was a silent accusation—*How does a girl like you have a brother, and how does Kiryan Hischleger know Franz Bernicke?*
Franz shook her head vigorously as if to say she had no idea either.
“I-I don’t know this man…”
“Well. I expected that, but it still stings.”
“I’m sorry.”
She instinctively touched her neck. It was still attached—thankfully.
Kiryan leaned in toward her.
“Look closely. It might jog your memory.”
“Uh… I-I don’t think so…”
“She said she doesn’t know you. Stop spouting nonsense and get lost.”
“You stay out of this, Laurent. Franz. Look at me.”
“No, uh…”
*This is really my first time meeting him…*
But she couldn’t say the words out loud.
His burning eyes were so fierce that she felt he might cut her throat if she said she didn’t remember.
Besides, Kiryan Hischleger was the villain who killed her and destroyed the world.
“Well…”
He was so sharply handsome he almost didn’t seem real—but the danger in his beauty was unmistakable. Even with his expression softened, his eyes were honed like blades.
And, befitting the kingpin of the underworld, Kiryan exuded an ominous, perilous aura.
Yet strangely… his face didn’t feel completely unfamiliar. She had never seen him before, yet he didn’t *feel* like a stranger.
“…I think I *might* remember…”
She kept stealing glances at him, feeling a faint déjà vu. She didn’t remember, but she felt she’d seen him somewhere.
Paradi’s face darkened.
“What do you mean you remember?”
“No, I… uh…”
Her large eyes darted about before she gave up and looked directly at Kiryan. He *did* say to look at his face first, so this much should be fine.
Sleek, jet-black hair, bronzed skin, sorrowful yet intimidating eyes. Long lashes framing golden eyes.
Golden eyes… golden… eyes?
*No way…*
“So you *do* remember.”
Kiryan’s lips curled upward. Yvonne asked, incredulous:
“…Yan?”
“Yes. It’s me. I can’t believe you completely forgot. As your older brother, I’m hurt.”
“Uh…”
*Yan… is Kiryan Hischleger?*
“Hey, Franz. What the hell is going on? Explain. Now.”
Paradi’s irritation didn’t reach her.
Her mind was already wandering deep into the past.
—
That day was Yvonne’s tenth birthday.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Yvo—kyaa! Diana! Kyaaah!”
She’d been excited to blow out the candles, but Diana—clapping beside her—suddenly coughed and collapsed, blood spilling from her mouth. Red splattered across the white cream cake.
Her parents screamed and jumped up. In the chaos, her father knocked over the grape juice, soaking Yvonne’s skirt.
“Ah…”
Yvonne stared blankly at the blood-stained cake and her damp white skirt.
Diana’s blood terrified her. She was afraid of losing her.
A scream rose to her lips, but she held it back, worried it would distress her parents even more.
“Diana!”
“Oh heavens. Dear God.”
Her parents rushed Diana upstairs.
Left behind were the ruined birthday cake… and Yvonne.
“Young miss, let’s go get you changed.”
The maid, Beth, looked at her with pity.
That pity made the situation feel even sadder. Yvonne’s lips jutted out. She hated sympathy.
“I’ll go alone.”
Showing her sadness felt humiliating even to her young heart.
Leaving Beth behind, she headed upstairs and passed Diana’s room.
Her parents were glued to Diana’s side, whispering reassurances.
*It’s my birthday… they could at least check on me too…*
Just for today, couldn’t they spare a little concern for her?
The thought made her feel unbearably miserable.
“I hate it… I hate everyone…”
She was worried about Diana, but she was hurt that her birthday celebration had been ruined.
So Yvonne took her cousin’s pants and stuffed her bag with snacks. She was going to run away from home.
Even at her young age, she knew wearing girls’ clothes outside was dangerous, so this was her solution.
When the bag was full of biscuits, she slipped out through the back door.
“No one will even worry if I’m gone.”
Leaving the mansion on the hill, she walked and walked toward the lower town.
She hoped they would panic when they found her missing. She hoped they’d regret neglecting her and promise to give her more love from now on.
She walked for so long, imagining receiving all her parents’ affection, that her legs began to hurt. And then even the disappointment about her ruined birthday faded.
Being a dramatic child, Yvonne soon started whining.
“Uuugh… my legs hurt… where am I…”
She had wandered south of Münster, reaching the northern edge of a city called Frutra. The neighborhood she lived in was on the outskirts, so it hadn’t taken long for her to leave the town.
Frutra was the worst city in the Kircheta Empire—crime-ridden with gambling, sleazy entertainment, and slums full of dangerous people.
Yvonne had reached the forest dividing Frutra from Münster. Not knowing where she was, she sat on the ground and rubbed her legs.
And there, she met a boy.
“Waaah…”
A boy with wild black hair and bronzed skin—beautiful in a rough, untamed way.
Despite being her age, he had a look in his eyes she’d never seen before.
Like the eyes of a grown adult—cold, sorrowful, piercing. She couldn’t look away.
His golden eyes were both beautiful and painful to behold. So she greeted him without thinking.
“Hi.”
“What are you? Why are you here?”
“Uh… You’re amazing…”
Stupid Yvonne blurted that out.
She was just fascinated that he had climbed so high up a tree.
“What did you say?!”
The boy bristled like a wild animal defending its territory. Yvonne, oblivious, smiled brightly.
“Me? I’m Franz!”
Whenever she wore pants and dressed as a boy, her family called her Franz instead of Yvonne.
Since she’d been called Franz often since childhood, the name felt more natural to her.
“What’s your name?”
“Go away.”
“Max? Or Luca? Finn?”
“I said get lost.”
“Umm… does this forest belong to you?”
“What?”
She didn’t mean any harm. She just wondered if this forest belonged to him the way her family garden had a swing for her and another for Diana.
But the boy didn’t seem to take it that way.
“Was it your forest?”
“No, but… whatever. Just stop hanging around here and get lost!”
“Then I’ll live here.”
“What?”
“I’m tired and my legs hurt and I don’t wanna go home. Come down and eat snacks with me. I’m hungry.”
She opened her bag and tore a paper pouch of cookies—walnut and almond. The sweet smell lifted her mood.
“Hurry!”
She stuffed her face, crumbs everywhere.
The boy must have been hungry; despite his earlier hostility, he slowly climbed down.
“I said hurry!”
He still kept his distance, glaring sharply at her.
His eyes were as sharp as a wildcat’s, but Yvonne thought he was upset because she was hiding chocolate in her pocket.
So she jumped up and ran at him. The boy flinched, then lifted his chin stiffly.
“Here!”
“What… is this.”
“Chocolate.”
“…Cho… colate?”
“Yeah. Chocolate. Weren’t you mad about me hiding this? Sorry. I won’t eat it alone anymore.”
“….”
His golden eyes stared right at her.
In the sunlight, they shimmered beautifully. Seeing them up close, she fell for the boy all over again.
So she pulled out the pumpkin-shaped chocolate from her pocket and forced it into his hand.
“Sorry. Eat this too…”
“Wh-What are you—”
“Let’s eat together.”
“So this is… chocolate?”
“Have you never had chocolate before?”
“No! Of course I have!”
He put on a haughty air. Yvonne sat in front of him.
He watched her in disbelief before sitting a little distance away.
“So, do you live here?”
“None of your business.”
“Mm. Sorry.”
“Why did you even come all the way here? What are you doing in the forest?”
“Me? Umm…”
Her eyes rolled around, and she met his amber gaze. The sweetness of the pumpkin chocolate warmed her up.
“I guess I came to meet you. Hehe.”
His face seemed to redden a little. Probably her imagination. She popped another chocolate into her mouth.
“Can’t I live here too? I don’t want to go home.”
“…”
“Hmm? I want to live here. See… Diana collapsed today. She’s my family—three years older.”
“…”
“We were celebrating my birthday and she fainted. She shouldn’t have…but I’m mad she got sick *today.* Because… it’s my birthday.”
She felt pathetic for thinking like that, but speaking it aloud made the heaviness in her chest ease.
Finally, the sorrow accumulated in her ten short years burst.
“I love Diana, but I hate that she’s sick today. Haaah… I just want someone to celebrate my birthday too…”
She sniffled and wiped her tears, only for her vision to blur again.
“What if something happens to Diana? Waaaaah… that can’t happen… uwaaaah… Dianaaaa… I’m sorrrryyyyy… uwahhh!”
She suddenly burst into tears. The boy panicked.
“H-Hey! Stop crying!”
“Uwaaaaah! Dianaaaa! Let me live here! I hate Mom and Dad! Waaaah!”
“S-Stop crying!”
“Waaaah! I can’t stop! Aaaaaagh!”
“H-Hey! If you stop crying, I’ll tell you my name!”
“Uh… *hic!*”
Even then, she was curious about the beautiful boy’s name, so she shut her mouth with a strange hiccuping sound.
The boy sighed as she pressed her palms over her own mouth. He let out a small, helpless laugh. His softly curving eyes and long lashes entranced her.
There was something irresistibly charming about his gaze.
“Hic! Hic!”
She forced the sobs down, hiccupping.
The boy let out a long sigh, shaking his head, then said:
“I’m Kiryan.”
“Kir… yan.”
She repeated it softly.
The sharp first syllable suited his sharp eyes perfectly.
She couldn’t help but smile like a fool.
“Yan.”
Kiryan looked at her as if she were unbelievable, a faint smile on his lips.
That had been their first meeting.
A rather anticlimactic beginning for a friendship between a villain and a girl.
