GAVAF 14

Chapter 14

Haren’s words, that we’d see each other soon, quickly became a reality.

I had received his letter two days ago.

Having not received a social invitation for a long time, I felt delighted when Vera arrived with a single white envelope. The thought of hearing amusing social stories again lifted my spirits naturally.

“Who is the invitation for?”

I asked before taking the envelope from Vera, eager and impatient, even though I would attend any party regardless of who sent the invitation. Vera simply smiled and handed me the envelope.

Curious, I quickly took the envelope and examined it. When I saw the name written on it, my smile vanished.

“Vera, is it just my eyes from reading too many books lately? Come here and read this name for me.”

Rubbing my eyes, I asked, and Vera came closer, looking startled.

“Are you alright? I told you not to read in the dark!”

“No, we’ll scold later. Can you just read who sent it?”

“It says ‘Haren Juern.’ It’s a letter from the young master. Aren’t you happy?”

Vera smiled gently, reassuring me that my eyes weren’t deceiving me. Perhaps she thought I deserved this as a reward for all the effort I had made to earn Haren’s heart.

But unlike Vera, I could not smile.

“Then I’ll take care of something quickly. Call me if you need me.”

Perhaps she thought I couldn’t fully enjoy my joy with her around. Vera nodded knowingly and left the room.

Left alone, I nervously opened the envelope.

To Harna,
Father’s birthday is coming soon. If you’re okay with it, let’s go shopping for his gift together. Two days from now, meet me in front of the rear gate of the Marquess’ mansion at 1 p.m., wearing a hood to conceal your appearance.
Haren Juern

I read the letter again, confirming that I understood it correctly.

“Go shopping together?”

No matter how many times I read it, it clearly said he wanted to go buy a gift for Father with me.

“This is good. You wanted to get closer to Haren, didn’t you?”

I smiled awkwardly.

The image of the cold, aloof man kept flashing in my mind. Well, he had patted my head at the end, but until then, he had been frightening.

“Yes. This time, I’ll show him the new me and get closer.”

Haren had reached out, probably with some difficulty as an older brother, and I couldn’t let go of his hand, which might have been the last time.

Although initially flustered, I carefully put the precious letter he had given me into the envelope and held it to my chest. I hoped that this time, if I got closer to him, he would smile at me.

Time passed quickly, and the day I was to meet Haren arrived.

Wearing a comfortable dress for going out, I put on the black hood as he had instructed and stood by the rear gate.

Bored standing alone, I kicked a small stone on the ground when a large shadow fell over me. Looking up, I saw a man with a hood covering his head, just like mine.

“Brother?”

To confirm, he slightly lifted his hood, revealing his striking face and the same orange-colored hair as mine.

“Have you waited long?”

“No, I just came out.”

“Then let’s go.”

I carefully took his hand when he offered it politely but with a blunt tone. And so began an outing with Haren, my heart fluttering in many ways.

“Do you mean I should ride a horse?”

“Yes.”

Haren pointed to the horse he had brought.

As an actress, I had experience filming historical dramas and movies. I had even seen horses up close, but I usually played noblewomen, so I had never actually ridden one.

Seeing the horse snort aggressively as if dissatisfied with my presence beside it, I hesitated to climb on.

Haren, seemingly unaware of my fear, suddenly lifted me onto the horse.

“Whoa!”

I sat awkwardly on the saddle, with Haren behind me.

He made me hold the reins stiffly with him, kicked the horse’s sides with his feet, and the horse bolted forward with a loud neigh, following Haren’s lead.

At first, I managed. Sitting upright, I tried to endure the violent jolts. But as time passed, my posture collapsed, and fear made me scream continuously.

Finally, we reached the busy street, and stepping off the horse, I immediately sat down, exhausted.

“Are you alright?”

Only then did Haren notice my state and asked, concerned. My barely maintained composure snapped, and irritation surged.

“Are you asking if I’m alright? Does this look alright to you? You bad man!”

This was not Harna acting like a villainess. It was me, Yoon Seung-ah, shouting in genuine anger.

Haren, sipping cold water, watched Harna and pondered her behavior.

Where had it gone wrong? The initial greeting was fine. Then the horseback riding must have been the problem.

‘I’ll ride a horse too when I grow up.’

‘It’s too dangerous.’

‘We can ride together! I’ll sit in front like a princess, you hold me like a prince, and it won’t be dangerous at all!’

‘…but…’

‘I want to ride with a cool man like you!’

‘Hmm, alright. But only if you eat well and grow taller.’

‘Really? Yay! I’ll eat a lot from today!’

He remembered the young Harna laughing joyfully as she clung to him. To honor that long-ago promise, he had intentionally taken her riding today.

He rode with her, expecting her joy, but when she screamed, Haren scolded me for making the horse go faster. He truly had no sense at times.

Haren eventually handed the now fully hydrated Harna a fresh glass of water.

“Sorry about that.”

Apologizing as she took a third gulp, Harna’s eyes widened and then softened. She extended her hand toward Haren, now looking apologetic.

“I’m sorry too. No matter how angry I was, it was wrong to call you a bad man.”

“…”

Haren smirked at the phrase ‘bad man’ and sincerely apologized to the smiling younger sister.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay…”

“And… thank you.”

For returning to the way she had been in childhood. For looking at him with gentle, warm eyes instead of sharp, piercing ones. For calling him brother again, something he thought he’d never hear.

“Thank you so much.”

Haren smiled. Harna, momentarily stunned, then smiled even brighter. The siblings looked at each other with happy, tender expressions.

“How about this one?”

I showed Haren a sword ornament set with red gems.

“Looks good.”

“Hm.”

Looking around again, I picked up a luxurious cravat.

“How about this?”

“Good.”

Haren approving everything made me squint. I wanted to ask if a dress would be suitable as Father’s gift, and I thought he would approve, so I asked him.

“Do you mean everything I choose is fine? Or that it doesn’t matter?”

“Whatever you choose, Father will like it. But it’s not that anything goes.”

“Still, since we’re choosing the gift together, please focus.”

“Alright, I will.”

Seeing Haren now mindful of me, I couldn’t help but laugh. Earlier, horseback riding had been disastrous, but now the awkward atmosphere with Haren had eased, which felt wonderful.

Haren frowned when I suggested odd ornaments for Father, but now we could laugh and joke together. I felt glad I had courageously gone out with him.

After some time, we decided to buy both the sword ornament and cravat. As we left the store with the wrapped gifts, the sun had already set, and darkness had fallen outside.

“Time has flown. Are you hungry? Shall we eat something?”

Was this really the same Haren Juern who had looked at me with disdain two days ago? I was still amazed and quickly replied.

“I’m a little hungry. Shall we go for tea and snacks?”

“Sure. Then, in front of here…”

Before Haren could finish, something small tapped my body and quickly disappeared.

“…!”

Stumbling from the shock, Haren caught me, preventing me from falling.

‘What just happened?’

Panicking, I realized the gold pouch and Father’s birthday gift in my pocket were gone.

“It must be a pickpocket!”

“Don’t worry. Go into the store we just passed. I’ll handle it.”

I nodded, and he quickly vanished.

I checked my pockets again and confirmed that both the gold pouch and gift were missing. Unable to bear it, I ran after Haren.

Deon ran with the pouch and gift box in his arms.

The two on the street had tried to hide their identities, but their fine hoods and expensive shoes marked them as wealthy or noble.

Deon, naturally brushing against the woman’s body, stole the items in her pocket. Once in a dark alley, he opened the pouch. Seeing it full of gleaming gold, his brown eyes glimmered with gold.

“With this much gold, I can treat Hanna and fix the house.”

He hid the pouch again and opened the stolen gift box, which contained a luxurious ornament and cravat.

“I shouldn’t have stolen this.”

Although unnecessary for him, he felt guilty, knowing the items were meant for someone precious. He hesitated but put the box back in his arms.

He planned to return them secretly if he ran into them again, intending to reach Hanna, who would be waiting.

“Ah, look who it is! Deon, isn’t it?”

A voice I did not want to hear reached him. Deon quickly buttoned his worn vest. Laughter came closer, and he bit his lower lip to regain composure.

The voices belonged to Keddic’s gang, playing leader games in the alley.

Keddic, with his bulging belly and shiny forehead, grinned at Deon, followed by his full gang.