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CHAPTER 84…
Do You Even Know… You’re the Only One Who Makes Me Act This Way
‘Do you even know… that you’re the only one who makes me this awkward now?’
Mikael first appeared in high society when he was seventeen.
Back then, being naturally shy, he couldn’t hold proper conversations or blend in well with others.
It made him the object of ridicule among the nobles—until she reached out her hand.
“There’s still space on my name card… Would you care to ask me for a dance?”
Leticia, who was two years older than Mikael at the time, was already the belle of the ball.
She had no reason to dance with a newly debuted wallflower, and yet, she was the one who offered her hand.
In that moment, Leticia shone so brightly in his eyes.
With that one dance, Mikael went from being an invisible boy in society to someone standing on the boundary between youth and manhood—a man with allure.
All because the most dazzling lady had chosen him.
‘She probably doesn’t even remember that act of kindness…’
But Mikael remembered. That moment planted a deep resolve in him.
He wanted to become someone objectively better, someone truly worthy. For the one who had once chosen him.
After tireless effort, he no longer trembled or shrank back in front of others.
Of course, he couldn’t change his fundamentally introverted nature, but—
He could become a gentleman with noble composure—admirable in anyone’s eyes.
And yet…
“Uh, I-I mean… I’m not suspicious or anything! Please believe me!”
The poise and refinement he’d trained into himself shattered completely the moment he stood before Leticia.
It made him question the entire effort of landing the chance to work with her in the first place.
But even so, it was worth it.
After her marriage to Peidan, Leticia had rarely appeared at social gatherings—and now, he could see her again.
“Sir Hildes? Why aren’t you eating?”
Leticia, who had gone off to buy another ice cream, tilted her head at him curiously.
Only then did Mikael snap back to reality.
“Ah…”
“Your ice cream’s melting…”
“I was waiting. I wanted to eat together.”
Leticia blinked at his odd response, then burst into laughter.
“Well, let’s eat, then.”
She took a bite of her ice cream and smiled with satisfaction as she tasted it.
But Mikael just stared at her, unable to even think about his own melting ice cream.
Just seeing her—being near her—was enough to make him happy.
It’d be a lie to say he had no desires at all. But he wouldn’t dare wish for more.
Because to Mikael, Leticia wasn’t just a woman he liked—she was a star.
The one who had shone light on him in the dark.
The one who had made him want to become someone better and keep moving forward.
So…
He only hoped her light would never fade.
That she would always smile like she did now—radiant and happy.
I only returned to the estate around evening after finishing my work.
And with a bit of nervousness, I made my way to the dining room.
The reason?
If Idris was there as usual, I had no idea how to face him.
‘Of course, nothing actually happened between us…’
But the strange tension in the air last night still lingered in my mind.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but I was afraid that something had changed between us.
But—
“His Grace says his schedule ran late and he’ll be home later than expected. He recommends you have dinner first.”
The very person who had stirred ripples in my heart… didn’t show up.
Even by the time I’d finished eating.
‘I was scared to see his face… not knowing how I’d react…’
But now that I hadn’t seen him, that scared me in a different way.
‘I think I need to see him—to confirm that last night didn’t change anything between us.’
So I asked the butler to let me know when Idris returned, and decided to wait in the parlor and get some work done.
That work?
Writing invitations for the upcoming charity bazaar.
Normally, with how many get sent out, such invitations are written by maids in noble households or clerks at the administrative office for state events like this one.
But instead of handing the job to Mikael, I insisted on doing it myself.
“You’re going to write all these invitations personally?!”
“Well, it’s the first bazaar in a long time. Don’t you think a bit of sincerity might make the recipients feel more welcome?”
“But it’ll be exhausting…”
“It’s fine. Nothing in the world is easy, right?”
…Or so I said, full of confidence.
But the moment I saw the list of names and the towering pile of stationery, my wrist began to ache already.
‘Maybe I should’ve left it to the admin office…’
Still, I had my pride—I couldn’t back down now.
I started filling each letter with personal touches, recalling the conversations I’d had with each guest at past social events.
I was fully immersed when—
A shadow suddenly fell across the table, and a large hand rested near the edge.
Then, a familiar voice rang out:
“You know, I was kind of looking forward to seeing you… when I heard you were waiting.”
Startled, I turned to find Idris, just arriving home.
“So this is what you were waiting to rope me into, huh?”
He let out a sigh as he scanned the list and letters in front of me.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
His silent approach reminded me—ah yes, he was a war hero.
“What about dinner?”
“Ate something already. Roughly. …Are you worried about me?”
He smiled teasingly as he looked at me—same as always.
As if that strange tension last night had never existed.
His unchanged demeanor made me feel relieved—and oddly disappointed.
Why did that make me feel… empty?
But I had no time to dwell on the contradiction.
‘Wait—isn’t he way too close?’
Leaning toward me, one arm resting on the table, Idris was very close.
Close enough that I could feel his warmth even without touching—sense the outdoor air on him, the lazy breath he exhaled.
Then—
“Don’t trust me too much, Leticia.”
His words brought back the memory of last night—and I quickly averted my gaze, shaking the thoughts away.
“Ahem… Well, before I put you to work, I should at least feed you.”
“But why are you writing these? Isn’t this the administrative office’s job?”
His gaze suddenly turned sharp as he scanned the letters.
“Don’t tell me he made you do it?”
Realizing he meant Mikael, I quickly tried to stop the situation from escalating.
“I volunteered. If we show sincerity, the recipients might take the event more seriously. It could spark interest, even in those who weren’t planning to come.”
“I think the new Mariposa product line is enough to get their attention.”
“Some people are drawn by curiosity, yes. But others value thoughtful gestures like this. Business, after all, is about balancing logic and emotion.”
“A strategic move, huh. Spoken like a seasoned businesswoman.”
Idris chuckled softly and pulled up a chair beside me.
“If I help… what do I get in return?”
A man like him—who could have anything he wanted—clearly wasn’t asking for material compensation.
So it was obviously a joke.
“Hm… how about unwavering trust in your partner?”
“Oh, so you’re paying in compliments, huh?”
“Then what would you want?”
His eyes, chin resting on his hand, lingered on me for a moment before he spoke again.
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“Everything. What you did today, what you ate, how you felt. Anything.”
“…”
“I just… want to know how your day went.”
