CH 62

<CHAPTER 62

Clang-!

“Thank you for visiting!”

Lucia finished her errands and stepped outside. It was the beginning of summer, and the sun was shining.

As soon as the tea party was over, Lucia stopped by a nearby florist to pick out flowers for Bern’s mother, Tiana.

She had heard she loved hydrangeas, so she ordered a bouquet of white and blue hydrangeas to be sent home.

She originally wanted to send it before lunch, but the tea party ended up running later than she expected.

“Still, it’s not a full day, so I guess it’s okay, right?”

Bern assured her that it wouldn’t be too much trouble, so she didn’t prepare anything more than that. Admittedly, it was a little weird to be planning her in-laws’ birthday when they weren’t even engaged yet.

“Come to think of it…….”

Lucia looked around as she headed for the carriage house.

She hadn’t realized it in her haste, but this was Tervan Street.

Adjacent to the Imperial Academy. She used to come here often when she was at the Academy.

“It’s been a while.”

It’s been almost three years since she graduated from the academy. Much of the street had changed in that time.

Lucia strolled down the street, reminiscing. She spotted the cake shop she used to frequent when she was a student and approached it.

It was more popular than ever, and the place was bustling with customers.

“I’ve come all this way, why don’t I buy one?”

Lucia wandered into the shop and joined the queue.

Hmm.

Up ahead, a group of people who seemed to be attending an academy were laughing and telling each other funny stories.

Their main interest in school was love affairs. It was mostly about unrequited love or someone’s love life.

‘It’s nothing different from adults.’

She felt a little subtle because it wasn’t much different from what she had said at the tea party.

“Kaaaak! Look at that!”

“Huh! I never thought I’d see you here!”

“I’m jealous! I want to talk to you too!”

Lucia tilted her head at the girls’ chatter from behind her. The group they were talking to seemed to be in the front row.

A group of women surrounded the three men.

At first, she thought it was a group, but the women seemed to be clinging to one side.

“They must be popular.”

Her curiosity piqued, Lucia raised her magpie feet and tried to see.

But her short eyes could barely make out the men’s faces.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a head of dark hair.

“……Henry?”

Lucia couldn’t help but notice the red eyes set against the black hair and gentle face.

The man must have heard her, because his head snapped up and he looked around, his red eyes locking with hers.

“…… Lucia?”

It was Henry. Lucia gave him a small wave.

The women around Henry mumbled something about who she was.

“What’s wrong, do you know her?”

“Uh, mind your own business.”

Henry gave his friends a curt reply and stomped off. They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of his beaming face.

“Oh my God, sis, it’s been so long!”

Henry was so happy to see Lucia that he threw his arms around her. Lucia looked up from his embrace, confused.

“What are you doing here? Your house is a long way from here!”

“I had to stop by the neighborhood, by the way, and you…….”

Lucia looked Henry up and down from the bottom to the top. Henry cocked his head with a grin.

“Why have you grown so much? You weren’t this tall when I saw you last year!”

“Really? I don’t see how?”

“I think you’re about the same height as Herwin.”

“About the same as my brother, though he’s a little taller.”

“Oh my God… I can’t believe the little guy I used to follow around with my brother is so big.”

Lucia laughed softly, remembering Henry as a child.

“Do you remember, when we were little, you used to tell the whole neighborhood that you were going to marry me?”

“Awww, sis, when did that ever happen!”

Henry shouted in embarrassment, his ears perking up at the sight of Lucia, who was now smaller than he was and could fit in his arms.

“It’s still valid, but…….”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Henry muttered in a low voice, then coughed as he looked at Lucia, who was looking at him with a speechless face.

“Nothing, hmmm, so you came all the way here because of work, and you’re done?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s the first time I’ve been here since I graduated, so I thought I’d stop in line to reminisce and buy some cake.”

While she was chatting with Henry, she realized it was her turn.

“Hey, Henry, do you want something to eat? I’ll get you something.”

“What? No, thanks, I’ll buy it.”

“This is when you take advantage of your sister. Tell me everything you want to eat.”

Realizing that Lucia wasn’t going to back down, Henry did what he had to do and ordered.

“Okay, just give me a minute.”

After paying, Lucia handed Henry the cake box.

“……Thank you. I’ll eat it.”

“Sure. Enjoy.”

Lucia reached up to stroke Henry’s head as she had in the past, but stopped when she saw him looking at her. Henry realized what she was trying to do and bent down.

Henry smiled broadly as Lucia stroked him. Lucia stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of his childlike smile.

“Herwin should take a cue from you, he’s so blunt.”

“Aye, but if you’re my older brother, you loosen up a lot in front of my sister.”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

“Yes. Doesn’t he sometimes laugh in front of my sister?”

Recalling Herwin’s smiling face, Lucia nodded shakily.

“He…does, doesn’t he?”

“Look. He never smiles when he’s at home. It’s enough to make my mom think she’s given birth to a cold-blooded man.”

Lucia wondered if Herwin was that blunt, but if he could break down in front of his friends, he probably didn’t think she was that special.

“But I’m sure he’ll smile in front of someone he likes someday.”

Henry cocked an eyebrow at Lucia’s comment and tilted his head.

“That’s why you said he smiles in front of you.”

“Huh? Are you saying that Herwin likes me now?”

“Then it’s not?”

After a moment of trepidation, Lucia burst out laughing and shook her head. Henry was dumbfounded.

“Of course not. Herwin doesn’t like me.”

“What? That can’t be true…….”

“It’s true, he doesn’t like me, and he laughs at me and his other friends.”

Henry’s face hardened as Lucia continued.

“The way you’re talking about this, I’m guessing Herwin hasn’t told you yet?”

“About what?”

“I’m getting engaged.”

Henry’s eyes widened.

“You’re…getting engaged?”

“Yes. To the Marquis of Casper, and I just bought a bouquet for his mother.”

Henry’s mouth dropped open in mild surprise.

“Brother let you …… get away with that?”

“Why does his name keep coming up?”

“Because he’s……!”

Henry was at a loss for words. Lucia’s face looked so bitter.

“I’ll invite you to the engagement. Will you come?”

“……Yes.”

Henry’s dissatisfaction was evident on his face. Lucia smiled sheepishly and patted Henry on the shoulder.

“Don’t be so upset. I thought Herwin told you too.”

“I didn’t realize …… hadn’t been home in a while. When did you decide?”

“Almost two months, I think.”

“It’s been two months, and that asshole…….”

Lucia shuddered at the low swear word. She wondered if this was the angelic Henry she knew.

Herwin suddenly overlapped with Henry, who was quietly angry as he hardened his face.

‘Herwin….…’

Judging by his reaction when he’d driven her to the mansion five days ago, he hadn’t liked her.

‘But why does Bianca think he likes me, why does Henry think he likes me, why does everyone think he likes me?’

He had always been different to her.

“Oh, man, it’s getting late already. Henry, I have to go.”

Lucia suddenly came to her senses at the time past four o’clock.

“I’ll walk you to the carriage house.”

“No thanks. Your friends are there. It’s the weekend and you should have fun with them.”

Lucia waved at Henry, who tried to follow her.

Henry wiped the smile off his face as he watched her slowly walk away.

“Henry, do you know her?”

His friends, seeing that he and Lucia had parted ways, sneaked up on him and shrank back at the sight of the silent, animated man.

“You, what’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

“You seemed to be on good terms, and then you didn’t?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Well, it’s just that …… you were smiling so wide.”

“I’ve never seen him smile so wide!”

Lucia said Herwin should emulate Henry, but she didn’t know Henry.

Henry only showed his finite side in front of his family and Lucia. Scarlett said he was no different from Herwin.

No matter what his friends chattered about, Henry could only stare at the back of Lucia’s head as she walked away, his face still stony.

“You stupid……!”

Henry kicked the floor, causing his friends to back away.

“……You’re not talking to us, are you?”

“Hey! Where are you going!”

Henry’s friends called from behind him as he suddenly went somewhere.

“I’m going home. You guys go back to the academy first. I have errands to run.”

Leaving his friends behind, Henry headed for the mansion.

“Aren’t you Master Henry, and what are you doing here at this hour?”

Jerome, who happened to be at the mansion, greeted Henry.

“Is my brother home now?”

“Yes. He’s in the office… Wait a minute, Master!”

As Henry headed for his office, Jerome hurried to catch up with him, but Henry didn’t even pretend to hear him.

“Master …… is in a very bad mood right now.”

It’s no secret that Herwin has been in a bad mood lately. But he seemed to be in a bad mood, too.

Worried that something bad might happen, Jerome hurried to catch up with Henry.

Bang!

“Brother!”

Henry grunted as he burst into Herwin’s office and flung the door open.

Herwin, who had been quietly relaxing on the couch, sat up with a start.

“Henry, what brings you here…….?”

“Lucia sister is getting engaged?”

Herwin shuddered and frowned at the blurted-out words without a greeting.

“You came in without knocking to tell me that now?”

“Why didn’t you tell me, and were you planning on never telling me if my sister hadn’t told me?”

“Have you been seeing Lucia?”

“Just answer me.”

Herwin sighed softly at the sight of his brother, who for some reason was still fuming.