Chapter 09
“What? That bastard came looking for you?”
Not long after, Rose also heard about what had happened with Charles.
“Nothing happened, right?”
“Yes, nothing at all.”
“He shows up, and I don’t even know about it. I’m just cooped up in the house!”
Rose exploded in anger, her face turning bright red.
Taking this as an opportunity, Dorothy told Rose many things.
About the engagement and the broken engagement.
About her mother leaving her father when she was pregnant with her.
About her mother passing away when Dorothy was still young.
Listening to it all, Rose hurt and grieved as if it were her own story.
“Sob… Then you lived in poverty alone with your mother?”
It seemed Rose’s imagination had run wild in just a moment. She pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eyes as she asked.
Why are you suddenly crying?
Dorothy blinked and objected.
“No? My mother was actually quite good at business, so she earned enough for the two of us to live on.”
“Then were you hurt by your mother, or did you have a bad childhood? M-maybe those wounds caused her to pass away early?”
“Why does it get so extreme? My mother was eight years older than my father, so if anyone was hurt, it was my father. I’ve never heard that my mother had any reason to be hurt. And I was her one and only precious darling, you know.”
Contrary to Rose’s worries, Dorothy had grown up surrounded by love, and she explained her past calmly.
“…Ah.”
Belatedly embarrassed, Rose cleared her throat.
“Still, from now on, don’t worry. You’ve got me. I’ll make sure you never get tangled up again with that Charles or whatever his name is.”
“Handle it separately? We really ended things cleanly.”
Dorothy believed she had resolved the issue with Charles well enough.
They had come to a mutual agreement—she had even received money.
And after their last conversation, hadn’t their relationship been completely cut off?
But Rose retorted,
“Blood is thicker than water, and even more stubborn than that is an ex.”
Whether it was your father,
or the man you said you broke off the engagement with—neither could be neatly erased.
“We have to show a firm attitude. To protect you!”
Rose spoke with a resolute expression, as if making a vow.
Just then, Brandon’s voice came from behind them.
He had said he was going to the capital, but he was already back.
“How exactly are you going to protect Dorothy when you never leave the house?”
“….”
“Haha, just so you know, I asked without any ill intent.”
Brandon approached with his hands clasped behind his back and gave Dorothy a faint smile.
It was that same smile she’d seen recently—the kind that seemed to brighten the surroundings.
“Hello, Dorothy.”
A few days ago, Dorothy had been deeply moved by him.
A wonderful person who fought villains without hesitation, even at the cost of his own safety.
Even so, that smile felt a bit overwhelming to Dorothy.
“Ah, yes… you must be tired.”
Why does it feel like he’s smiling every time our eyes meet? Am I imagining it?
As she greeted him with an awkward expression, his smile only deepened.
Though there were plenty of seats, Brandon deliberately sat down beside Dorothy.
“So? How do you plan on helping Dorothy while staying shut inside the house?”
With a perfectly calm face, he caught Rose off guard.
“That’s none of your busi—”
“I brought some cookies from the capital. Would you like to try them, Dorothy?”
The problem was that he didn’t even try to hear the answer.
“I also bought some tea leaves that go well with cookies.”
“No, she just answered—”
“I think I can roughly guess what she’d say.”
He replied nonchalantly, smiling gently.
“It’s gotten quite cold lately. Would you like a blanket? How about it?”
Brandon fussed over Dorothy attentively.
Refilling her empty teacup.
Lending her a handkerchief.
Of course, Dorothy was very grateful for his kindness.
But at the same time, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
Why ask if you’re not going to listen to the answer?!
What if Rose gets angry?
Did the siblings have an argument without me knowing?
Dorothy couldn’t hide her anxiety.
“Hey, Brandon!”
At that moment, Rose raised her voice.
What Dorothy had been worrying about finally happened.
Dorothy squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for Rose’s outburst.
“Why are you suddenly being so nice? Did you eat something wrong?”
“…Huh?”
She’d thought Rose would be angry about him not listening.
That was a huge misunderstanding.
“What’s wrong with you? Do you want to die? Why are you doing things you never do?!”
“You’re not mad that I didn’t answer?”
“He never listens to my answers anyway.”
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it… that’s true.
* * *
Dorothy had stepped away for a moment at Mrs. Horton’s request.
Rose, bristling like an angry cat, kept her guard up around Brandon.
In contrast, Brandon lounged on the sofa, looking bored to death.
It was a completely different face from the one he wore when Dorothy was around.
“What are you, exactly?”
Rose shot a sharp question at her younger brother.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever bought cookies while thinking about someone else? And covering them with a blanket, too?”
Muttering as she recalled the shocking sight from earlier, Rose added,
“I got goosebumps the moment I saw it…”
Others might think she was exaggerating.
But when the person in question was Brandon Kaishner, it was a different story.
Rose knew better than anyone how extreme her brother’s temperament was.
“If you’ve got some kind of intention toward Dorothy, I won’t forgive you. I’ll really get angry. I’ll curse you even after I die.”
Normally she would’ve been shouting.
But unexpectedly, Rose warned him in a calm voice.
That was how serious she was.
“If you’re just being suspicious or poking at her for fun, I won’t let it slide. Do you understand me?”
Dorothy was the first friend she’d ever had.
When she was with Dorothy, she felt like an ordinary woman in her twenties.
Even sharing snacks and spending trivial moments together felt precious.
She wanted to protect this everyday life at all costs.
She couldn’t let go of the miracle-like fortune that had fallen into her hands.
“Don’t drag Dorothy into some pointless game. If your life is so boring you’re dying, go find some other poor victim.”
Brandon was highly suspicious by nature.
At the same time, he possessed formidable information-gathering abilities.
Enough to recite someone’s entire life story in detail.
Which meant there had been many victims because of it.
Especially cases where he’d meddled with people who had nothing to do with him.
“If you’re toying with Dorothy, I won’t forgive you.”
So Rose assumed this was no different.
That he’d developed some unnecessary suspicion about Dorothy.
She didn’t want her friend ruined over something as trivial as doubt.
“…Toying with her?”
But Brandon’s reaction shattered Rose’s expectations.
“I’m not really joking around, though?”
“…What?”
“I haven’t done anything you’d need to worry about. Like pointless background checks.”
Judging by his expression, he was serious.
Rose blinked.
“Then why are you smiling at her like that?”
“I always walk around smiling.”
“No! That’s not what I mean—”
The moment Dorothy’s name came up, her brother’s face brightened.
“She’s a really fascinating person. Someone who looks like me isn’t exactly common, right?”
Brandon was smiling—truly smiling.
Not that mask-like, identical smile.
But a genuine one, teeth showing, clearly in a good mood.
“And yet she looks uncomfortable when she sees me. How can someone like that exist? It’s thrilling…”
Seeing her brother’s beaming face made Rose feel sick to her stomach.
Of course, Brandon knew his looks were a powerful weapon.
Pretense and smiles.
Using a fabricated version of himself to win people over was easy for him.
“No, but why are you acting like that toward Dorothy?!”
The situation felt like it was spiraling out of control.
Her brother thinking about a woman with that expression?
And wearing that smile?
“Her pink hair is fascinating, and her nose is just so adorably shaped.”
“H-Hey… act like you usually do.”
“I am acting like I usually do.”
The problem was that he seemed completely unaware of what he was saying.
Dorothy?
My friend?
This guy?
“Can’t you tell something’s wrong? Do you even hear what you’re saying?”
“Why? What’s strange about it?”
Brandon tilted his head as he asked.
At the same time, Rose felt as if her heart dropped straight down.
Oh no.
“You can’t even feel it yourself… Forget it.”
Rose murmured, her face turning pale.
