🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 6
Martin appeared a few minutes later, water dripping from his hands.
Sneaking nervous glances at me, he finally spoke.
“L-Lindsey… I t-tried my best to get it out, but… since it’s white, it wouldn’t come clean very well… W-would it be okay if I bought you a new one by next week…?”
His fingertips were bright red, and in his hands was my handkerchief, still damp from being washed.
I stared at him in disbelief.
“Wait. So you weren’t late because you were washing your hands—you were trying to clean the handkerchief?”
The even more ridiculous part was that when I looked at his hands, black ink stains were still scattered across them. Apparently, he’d only managed to scrub most of it away.
Feeling both exasperated and speechless, I thumped a fist against my chest.
Martin immediately reached out and gently caught my wrist.
“D-don’t hit yourself… It’ll hurt…”
“No, that’s not what I meant! This handkerchief really isn’t a big deal…”
As I frowned at his reddened fingers, Martin somehow looked even more miserable than I did.
“B-but… you were trying to help me… A-and besides… it feels like such a waste to throw away something that’s yours…”
He smiled at me softly, saying that if I didn’t mind, he’d dry it properly. The weather was warm, so it would probably dry quickly anyway.
Looking at him, every argument I had prepared vanished.
The more I got to know him, the harder it became to dislike him.
Seriously, why does everyone make Martin’s life so difficult?
He’s such a kind and innocent kid…
Was it because he smiled too easily?
Because he was too gentle?
Whatever the reason, the more I learned about Martin, the less sense it made.
We were walking side by side toward the library when Martin suddenly seemed to remember something.
He let out a small, troubled sound before looking at me.
“L-Lindsey.”
“Hm? What is it, Martin?”
Still fidgeting with the damp handkerchief, he offered me an awkward smile.
“I-I don’t think… I’ll be able to talk to you when the other students are around…”
I blinked.
What was that supposed to mean?
Matching my pace to his, I turned toward him.
A warm summer breeze drifted through the open windows.
My black hair fluttered in the wind.
Martin’s golden hair did the same.
For a brief moment, his bangs lifted, revealing those beautiful emerald-green eyes.
They were looking only at me.
“W-we’re friends… right…?”
“I thought we were. But what do you mean you won’t be able to talk to me?”
“Th-thank you… for being my friend. I really like… studying with you… and talking like this. But…”
Martin stopped walking.
Then he looked directly at me.
“I d-don’t want you getting hurt because of me. If I talk to you… t-the other kids will start bullying you too. So…”
He lowered his head.
As though apologizing simply for saying those words, he rubbed at his fingernail again.
“Let’s meet like this… after classes end… when the academy gets quiet. J-just like today…”
I couldn’t answer him.
Too many words rose into my throat all at once.
I don’t care.
I want to talk to you normally too.
That kind of thing doesn’t bother me.
And besides… without you, I’ll just end up alone anyway…
I wanted to reassure him.
I wanted to tell him everything would be okay.
But it was obvious Martin hadn’t said this lightly.
He’d thought about it deeply before bringing it up.
In the end, all I could do was quietly look away and continue walking.
* * *
In the end, we didn’t write a single word of our report that day.
Because we spent our entire time furiously scrubbing ink stains off the library floor.
By the time we finally managed to clean most of it, the librarian approached us and informed us that the library was closing.
A strange mixture of disappointment and awkwardness lingered between us.
Martin and I silently packed our belongings and walked out into the academy grounds together.
“Martin. Has your family’s car arrived yet?”
“H-huh? Mine…”
The black car that should have been waiting near the academy gates was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, Bill was already standing beside my family’s carriage, enthusiastically waving at me.
After a moment of hesitation, I couldn’t bring myself to leave Martin alone.
“If it hasn’t arrived yet, should I wait with you? Or you could just ride home with us today.”
“N-no, it’s okay… I can wait by myself… A-and it’s almost dinner time already…”
“That applies to you too, you know. Seriously, isn’t your driver being a little irresponsible? How can they leave a young master waiting out here on the roadside? They should’ve come when classes ended.”
“I-it’s probably because I didn’t tell them exactly how late I’d be studying… I’m really okay, so you should go first.”
Wasn’t that basically the same as saying he had no idea when they’d arrive?
I stared at him.
Martin awkwardly scraped the toe of his shoe against the ground.
Unable to watch any longer, I grabbed him and started dragging him toward our carriage.
“L-Lindsey…!”
“You’re riding home with us today. It’s going to get dark soon. If I leave you here by yourself, I won’t feel good about it. Though…”
Only then did I realize I was still gripping his arm.
Immediately, I let go.
“If it makes you uncomfortable, you can say no. Do whatever you’re comfortable with.”
Martin repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.
After a long moment of hesitation, he finally spoke.
“Th-then… just for today… I’ll accept your offer.”
“Good! Today is fine, and honestly, every future day that ends this late is fine too. Now come on, let’s go.”
The moment I grabbed his arm again, his entire body visibly jolted.
Smiling softly, I led him toward Bill.
“Miss, did you study hard again today? What a lovely afternoon. Though… who is this young gentleman?”
“Oh, he’s my friend. Bill, could you please drop him off at his house too?”
“You needn’t even ask. It’s naturally my duty. Please, both of you, get in.”
Bill opened the rear door for us.
Martin and I thanked him before climbing inside.
“Thank you, Bill. Martin, where exactly is your house—”
“W-Western Wood Street, please…”
At those words, Bill paused while fastening his seatbelt and glanced at Martin through the rearview mirror.
“Western Wood Street? Young master, wouldn’t one of your family’s drivers happen to be a man named Nelson?”
“N-Nelson? Ah, yes. I know him… But he quit a few days ago.”
Bill’s expression immediately softened.
“Haha. That fellow is an old friend of mine. He told me his mother’s condition suddenly worsened and that he had to return to his hometown. So that’s how it is. To think the young master he used to serve would turn out to be my lady’s friend. Though…”
Bill tilted his head thoughtfully.
Again and again, he looked at Martin through the mirror.
Sensing something odd, I quietly observed as well.
“Forgive my rudeness, but may I ask your family name, young master…?”
“M-my name is Martin. Just Martin…”
That wasn’t what Bill had meant.
He was clearly asking for Martin’s surname.
But Martin seemed unwilling to answer.
Avoiding Bill’s gaze, he turned toward the window instead.
Seeing that, Bill gave an awkward laugh.
“Haha. My apologies. That was rather intrusive of me. Let’s get moving.”
As their conversation ended, silence filled the carriage.
Martin continued staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
Watching him, I pressed one shoe against the other before suddenly remembering something.
“Oh, right! Martin! What brand was the fountain pen you dropped earlier? It happened because of me, so I’ll buy you a replacement.”
“Ah… that’s really okay. It was my fault for leaving it too close to the edge…”
“Even if you left it there, it still fell because of me. I want to replace it. Just tell me.”
“Y-you really don’t have to…”
After hesitating for a while, Martin finally turned toward me.
“It’s from Meister… B-but it’s rather expensive…”
“Don’t worry about that! Meister, right? You prefer the black one?”
“Y-yeah… Black doesn’t show wear as easily, so it lasts longer…”
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he scratched the back of his head.
And somehow, seeing that shy little smile made me smile too.
