No one opened their mouths.

In the midst of a strange silence, Eclette sweated. It was more awkward to say that she had heard it wrong.

Eclette’s mind has changed so much to the point she couldn’t decide what to do.

Then Kiries moved slowly. When she noticed that he was about to go to the closet, Eclette immediately blocked him.

“Why?”

Coming face to face with Kiries’ red eyes that were gazing at her strangely, Eclette stuttered.

“No, that’s…. I mean.”

She couldn’t say why she grabbed Kiries because she thought she had to stop him from opening the closet.

‘I can’t say that Redwood is in there.’

She just wanted to become dust and disappear.

As she screamed inside, Eclette whispered his name.

“Kiries.”

“Tell me.”

That is the only way.

She closed her eyes tightly and opened them with a faint smile.

“Don’t you remember? You! told me to tell you if there was anything I wanted to have.”

The distance between their lips was so close that it could touch. She touched his wrist slowly and slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

“Are you going to listen to everything if I say what I want?”

However, there was no expression on Kiries’ face. He just looked down at her with a frightening and hard look.

She was trying to sneak back because she felt awkward.

“Try to be more lewd next time.”

(T/N: Oop— ///☆ O ☆/// )

His rough, hooky hand grabbed her waist and a cold breath ran down her neck. He whispered low into Eclette’s ear.

“The room is so shabby.”

Eclette shivered unknowingly. Kiries grinned and gently let go.

He looked around Eclette’s room for a long time and thought, ‘Perhaps the reason why there is a shattering sound that came from that shabby closet was because it was old.’

“Get ready to leave. You have to go somewhere with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“On a walk.”

Eclette spoke in a perplexing way.

“Does it have to be today…?”

“Why?”

“Well…. I just want to rest in my room today.”

Kiries, who couldn’t know what was going on in Eclette’s mind, frowned as if he was dissatisfied. He sighed.

“I can’t help it. Let’s go next time.”

There was no way to hide his regret. He wanted to see a ballet performance with Eclette since it’s been a long time.

However, he could not take Eclette out with him because she didn’t look well.

“You’re not feeling well.”

“We’ll go tomorrow because I’ll feel better after a day’s sleep.”

She prayed and prayed earnestly in her heart.

‘That’s all I have to do, so please go out. Huh? Please get out. Get out of here!’

Perhaps God listened to her prayer, Kiries stroked Eclette’s silver hair lightly and left the room.

It was only after seeing that Kiries was leaving that Eclette could breathe a sigh of relief.

“I lived….”

Her life expectancy seemed to have decreased by another ten years.

Eclette sat down on a chair as if she was going to topple over if she took any longer. She didn’t know how much terror she would feel if he had opened the closet.

If Kiries opened the closet and saw Redwood inside…

“Ugh! I don’t even want to think about it.”

Just imagining it was terrible, so Eclette just stamped her foot in place. She didn’t want to see it in her dreams.

Meanwhile, the closet door opened. The moment her eyes met Redwood’s, Eclette jumped up.

“I’m done showing you my room, so let’s go now.”

‘I’m going to kick him out. I thought I’d live if I let this crazy guy out.’

Eclette slowly approached Redwood.

But somehow, the atmosphere was unusual. He looked indifferent as usual, but his cold eyes shone sharply.

“Redwood?”

His fingertips trembled with anger. Redwood looked at his still trembling hands and mumbled.

“Today is the first time I’ve ever been angry because I couldn’t kill a person.”

If he could, he would like to cut off Kiries’ dirty hands that patted Eclette’s head. The reason why he didn’t do that was because he didn’t want to embarrass Eclette.

“Shall we go out and talk? It’s time for you to leave here…”

Redwood suddenly squeezed her cheeks with both hands, so Eclette couldn’t speak.

She could see herself through the pale sea-colored eyes. Eclette swallowed dry saliva unknowingly when he looked tenaciously at hers.

Redwood leaned down. His red hair touched her cheek and tickled her. It was when Eclette tried to remove Redwood’s hair from her face that he spoke.

“You’re the only one I have.”

“……”

“I wish I was the only one you have.”

“……”

“Am I being greedy?”

She couldn’t say anything. She knew what answer Redwood wanted to hear, but she couldn’t.

Eclette felt an invisible shackle hanging from her ankle.

“You’re being greedy.”

“Are you a greed that I can’t have?”

“Yes, you are a Schaden.”

And because I’m an Anatolia.

It was a relationship that couldn’t work out. Knowing that well, Eclette didn’t want to get involved with Redwood anymore.

But Redwood kept trying to cross the line she drew.

“Please let me know your name.”

“You heard it.”

Eclette was sure that Redwood heard Kiries calling her name. She couldn’t understand his intention of asking a question like that.

Looking at Eclette as if her answer was strange, Redwood shook his head lightly.

“I didn’t hear anything from his mouth.”

“Eclette.”

“…….”

“It’s Eclette Karina.”

“Eclette Karina.”

A voice mixed with joy. Even though it was just the name that was spoken, Eclette could feel warmth in every corner of her heart.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the beautifully folded eyes. She unknowingly touched the corners of his mouth that went up smoothly.

“Oh, sorry.”

Eclette was embarrassed and tried to lower her hand. However, Redwood grabbed it.

“It’s okay,”

Even though it was unspoken, Eclette knew he was actually saying, “You can touch it.”

He softly closed his eyes. Fascinated by the sweetly whispering voice. Eclette touched his face more boldly.

For a moment, he looked cute with a puppy-like expression. It was so warm and soft that she didn’t want to take her hands off his face.

But she held back her desire to touch more and removed her hand. She deliberately turned away from Redwood’s disappointed eyes.

“You promised me one wish if I stayed in the closet.”

She was trying to move on from that. She didn’t know he would remember it.

Eclette looked up at Redwood with a look of impatience. Looking at his face, it didn’t seem like he would just forget about it. So she breathed a long sigh as if she couldn’t help it.

“Yes, I did…”

Eclette wiggled inwardly and waited for Redwood’s words.

“Do not forget, you must remember the promise.”

“I’m not going to do anything cheap, so let’s go back quickly. I think I’ll be out of breath if I stay here longer.”

She’s afraid she’ll get caught.

Watching the nervous Eclette, Redwood shrugged his shoulders lightly and walked across the window. He waved his hand to Eclette.

“Then let’s see each other soon.”

“The door is over there.”

Eclette pointed her finger at the door, but Redwood jumped out of the window. When she ran to the window in surprise, he disappeared.

“You’ll be careful, right?”

She was more anxious because she couldn’t see him. Believing that it will turn out okay, Eclette closed the window and leaned against the wall.

Today was more tiring than usual.

•                •               •

The next afternoon.

Eclette had a delicious meal with Kiries and went to see a ballet performance.

The first time she saw Swan Lake was more interesting than she thought. The beautiful dance moves, atmospheric lighting, and background were exquisitely combined, so she couldn’t turn her eyes away.

She watched it with extreme attention, but it soon came to an end. Everyone left. Kires asked Eclette, who was still sitting.

“Was it okay?”

“Yes! It was wonderful!”

Eclette chatted to Kiries with sparkling eyes. Kiries burst into laughter as he watched Eclette, who was excited and kept fidgeting.

“I’ll have to bring you back often. I didn’t know you’d like it this much.”

The red eyes that folded into half moons gave a seductive twinkle. Eclette, who was almost fascinated by the smile on his lips, came to her senses and looked up at Kiries.

She almost fell for it. To a man more wicked than the devil.

Kiries was good at dealing with people. One of his specialties was to induce them as he wished.

Eclette got up from her seat, reprimanding herself. A gentle voice, and a friendly smile that she seemed to be pretending, spoke.

“Let’s see something more interesting next time.”

“No, it’s okay. Why would you want to see something different?”

She knew he was trying to tame her. Eclette felt an invisible leash just around the corner.

“…….”

“Did you hate it?”

He looked down at Eclette with an incredibly cold expression that she couldn’t believe he was the one who brightly laughed earlier.

Somehow Kiries looked upset, so Eclette struggled to raise the corners of her mouth.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, but I’m busy now.”

“…….”

“I don’t want to waste time.”

That’s a good answer, right?

At a glance, his mind seemed to be relaxed.

Kiries gently held Eclette’s silver hair in his hand. A smile spread out when he felt the soft touch at his fingertips.

“You think about me and you become nice.”

“……..”

“But I’ll take care of everything, so don’t be presumptuous.”

“Of cource I won’t.”

After nodding her head several times as if she were obedient, Kiries smiled satisfactorily. Then he held Eclette’s hand.

“We’ve had enough walks. Shall we go now?”

The hand that he held hers was cold. Eclette glanced up at him.

He was a beautiful person to anyone. Bloody eyes that blend well with glossy black hair like silk thread. It was a sharp impression, but it was fascinating enough to attract people when he laughed.

There were many people who confessed their love to him because of the gentleness that he showed.

However, Eclette knew how insidious and cold Kiries was. She thought she would fall for it if she let her guard down even for a little bit.

‘Don’t forget. I can’t forget it.’

She bit her lip slightly. Kiries killed people in front of her for trying to run away.

‘Even for those people, for Leila, I could never forget.’

“What are you thinking about?”

He looked as if he knew what she was thinking.

At the moment, her heart sank, but Eclette smiled slightly with a casual expression.

“Nothing.”