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Chapter 3
What is it about that boy?
We only met for the first time today, but somehow…
I want to get closer to him.
I hugged the white cardboard box to my chest like a mother bird protecting her nest.
Paper wasn’t a living thing, and yet it felt alive somehow—with a chocolate tart beating inside it like a heart.
Bill had slowed the car after noticing how carefully I was cradling something precious.
Smiling at his consideration, I spoke first.
L
Lindsay
“Did I keep you waiting, Bill? Thank you.”
B
Bill
“No need to thank me, miss. It’s my job. Though judging by that smile, I’d say you had a pretty enjoyable day.”
He met my eyes through the rearview mirror, his gaze filled with affection and curiosity.
We weren’t close enough to casually share personal stories, so I found myself unsure of how to answer.
Come to think of it, why was I in such a good mood?
I’d only met him today.
For the entire week since transferring, he’d barely had any presence in class.
If Mr. Schuller hadn’t called on him today… if I’d answered that question correctly myself…
I probably never would have become friends with Martin.
L
Lindsay
“I did have fun. I made a friend today.”
At my short reply, Bill lifted his brows and smiled.
B
Bill
“I’m glad to hear it. To tell the truth… everyone at the estate has been worried about you. This is the first time you’ve ever been away from the marquis for so long…”
He seemed to realize he might be overstepping and quickly returned his attention to the road with an awkward smile.
I suppose if I were the real Lindsay, that would be true.
After losing her mother, Lindsay had never wanted to leave her father’s side. He was her only family, the only person who indulged her every whim.
Maybe that’s why the marquis looked ready to faint when I agreed to attend the academy without protest.
I didn’t know how Lindsay had behaved before I arrived in this body, but my sudden change had been enough for Marquis Rietberg to summon a physician and ask whether I was ill.
From my perspective, though, it seemed far safer to leave and learn to stand on my own than to remain under the constant scrutiny of a man who had known the real Lindsay all her life.
When we meet again later, it’ll be easier to say I changed after gaining new experiences.
Perhaps because I’d been thinking too much, a dull headache began to throb behind my eyes.
To clear my head, I rolled down the window. Warm evening air flowed into the car.
I brushed back the strands of hair fluttering in the breeze and watched the darkening sky, the passing trees, and the people moving along the streets. Before I knew it, the Rietberg estate had come into view in the distance.
B
Bill
“We’re here, miss.”
L
Lindsay
“Thank you for your hard work, Bill. Ah, I’ll probably be home late about three times a week from now on. We have a group project for our math performance assessment.”
B
Bill
“Is that so? Then just let me know in advance which days you’ll be staying late, and I’ll wait outside for you.”
I waved him off and told him to get some rest. At that moment, a dark figure approached from outside, and the car door opened smoothly.
Lk
Lucas
“Goodness, miss. I was worried something had happened. This is the first time you’ve come home so late.”
L
Lindsay
“Lucas! Sorry. The assignment was just announced today, so there wasn’t any way for me to contact you.”
Lk
Lucas
“I wasn’t asking for an apology. I’m simply relieved that nothing happened.”
Lucas looked at me with genuine concern.
Seriously… what kind of stories did the marquis tell them?
Every servant in this house seemed determined to treat me like a child.
L
Lindsay
“I’ll probably be late two or three times a week from now on. Mr. Schuller assigned us a math group project. It lasts until the end of the semester.”
Lk
Lucas
“Oh! That’s wonderful news. What kind of young lady did you get paired with? I hope she isn’t too difficult.”
I stared at Lucas as he thoughtfully stroked his smooth chin.
L
Lindsay
“…What are you talking about, Lucas?”
Lk
Lucas
“Pardon?”
He blinked back at me in confusion.
L
Lindsay
“Why did you assume it was a lady? My project partner is a boy. We get along well. He’s so considerate that he seems to adjust himself to me all the time. That’s why I want to try getting closer to him too.”
I shrugged and started walking toward the mansion. Lucas could only stand there staring after me.
* * *
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
Dinner had been a trial.
I usually enjoyed my evening meals alone unless something important came up, but for some reason Lucas had spent the entire time interrogating me about Martin.
“흐흐”
“At least I finally have some time to myself now!”
The maids had been dismissed early as well.
On the left side of my desk sat a cup of warm milk and the chocolate tart.
Before dinner, I’d already told them that this was what I wanted for dessert tonight.
“하”
“This reminds me of my life before I was transported here.”
“Buying snacks before evening study sessions and sharing them with friends…”
Yes, staying at school late had been tiring, but it had also been fun.
Two weeks before exams, we’d sign up for overnight study sessions and secretly pass notes around when the teacher wasn’t looking. If we got sleepy, we’d move to the tall standing desks and solve problems together.
Bittersweetness twisted across my face before I could stop it.
“아”
“Seriously, what’s wrong with me?”
I pressed my fingers against the corners of my eyes.
Those days had been so much fun. How had I ended up like this?
I wiped away the tears with my sleeve and looked down at the assessment sheet spread neatly across my desk.
“……”
“Still, I can’t say coming to this world has been entirely bad.”
For one thing, I gained a father I never had in my previous life.
This was the first time I’d ever been loved so completely by someone who could be called a parent.
It was unfamiliar, and at the same time it made me envy Lindsay.
I could understand the pain of losing her mother a hundred times over, but if I had a father who loved me like this, I felt as though I could face anything.
A parent’s unconditional love—the kind that makes every fear seem conquerable.
“그리고……”
“And…”
My gaze fell to the neat handwriting on the worksheet.
Unlike my own penmanship, which still grew thick and thin as I struggled with the fountain pen, his writing was steady and clean.
“……”
“…I think I may have found a good friend.”
It was all a matter of perspective. Think positively, and things became positive; think negatively, and they could spiral endlessly downward.
“돌아갈 방법도 없고”
“There’s no way back anyway.”
“If I have to live here, then I might as well do my best.”
I lightly slapped both cheeks and pulled the dessert tray closer.
“노력하기 전에”
“Before I start working hard, one bite to lift my mood.”
I stared at the chocolate tart that was meant to chase away my gloom.
It was simple—no decorations, just a plain tart shell filled to the brim with chocolate ganache, carrying a rich sweet aroma.
“……”
“…Funny.”
“The chef may have made it, but it looks exactly like him.”
I poked the beautifully baked crust with my fork.
It looked firm, yet faint marks appeared easily in the uneven ridges.
Just like Martin. When he avoided my gaze and pretended not to notice me, he seemed hard and distant. But once we became acquainted, he was surprisingly gentle.
I cut off a piece and took a bite.
Ah, just as I thought.
The sweet chocolate melted across my tongue, while the crust balanced the richness so it never became overwhelming.
“그냥 하는 말인 줄 알았는데”
“I thought you were just saying it, but your family really does make amazing tarts, Martin.”
I couldn’t stop eating.
And at the same time, I couldn’t forget the expression on his face when he handed the tart to me.
After finishing the entire thing, I slowly uncapped my fountain pen and began working through the assignment.
I should finish quickly and go to bed.
So tomorrow can come again.
So I can talk to you again.
